Ah, that's how it is! Why did doors, gates and gates in villages used to open inward?

If you visit some Russian village where civilization has not yet completely occupied the territory, you can see one interesting feature: the gate, the gate, and the front door open inward, and not outward, as is customary now. However, such a design was very common in the past. It was believed that if the door opens outward, then happiness “runs away” from the hut, and the wife can also “go on a spree.” But if it’s the other way around, then there will always be joy, prosperity and complete harmony in the house.

However, there is also a completely practical explanation for this feature, which completely justifies the situation when all doors, gates and gates opened inwards and not outwards.

Why did doors, gates and gates previously open inward?

So, there are several reasons for this, but they are all essentially logical.

Cattle

The first and most important reason is that in the past, almost everyone tried to keep cattle, which, as expected, had to be put out for grazing. When the cattle returned home, they simply accumulated at the entrance gate, as a result of which opening the outer doors was not just difficult, but almost impossible.

Things were much simpler with gates that opened inward. He opened it, and the cattle entered the yard. That is why, in the past, exclusively internal discovery was common.

Snowy winters

When there was a blizzard in winter, such huge snowdrifts sometimes appeared from the windward part that the gate with the wicket was covered to the very top. Naturally, it was simply impossible to open the doors that open towards the street. This also applied to the door of the house - the sediment that formed near the walls did not block the doors that opened inward.

Lack of running water

Perhaps everyone understands that comfortable conditions have not existed from time immemorial. Previously, people not only had to go to the toilet on the street, but generally go somewhere to get water. A fairly popular item in every home is a rocker on which buckets of water were hung. Now imagine: you are walking with a rocker, two full buckets, and at the same time you still need to manage to open the gate, which opens outwards. It is much easier to simply push it with your foot if it opens inward.

Stove heating

The situation is similar to the previous one. Now we have central heating, but before people heated their huts with firewood, which had to not only be chopped, but also carried into the house. And if with a rocker your hands are at least a little free, then when you have an armful of firewood in your hands, opening a door that opens outward is simply an impossible task. Which door is easier to open? That's right - which opens inward, because you can simply push it with your foot or body.

Safety

It was impossible to put something under the door that opened inward and block it from the street. It is believed that this is due to hostility and the risk of setting the hut and its occupants on fire. Yes, it sounds strange and even a little wild and creepy, but in the past such situations still happened. Plus, such a door could be blocked from the inside to block the path of an ill-wisher.