Houses built during the Middle Ages were not built in the way one would expect to see in modern times. Both the internal and external structure were very different, and even the details, such as the windows, were not what one would expect to find nowadays.
As Learner.org notes, people lived in cold houses during the Middle Ages, with damp, dark rooms. The windows were very small, and their small size was intentional for a few reasons.
• Security and defense
The Middle Ages it was a time full of turmoil and uncertainty. The houses are built following a defensive perspective and not comfort. So the men living in this time frame had to stand guard and protect their families. It was also the case of those who were responsible for the safety of others, castles and fortresses, being able to better defend themselves in the event of an attack.
Small windows were part of this strategy.
This type of structure allowed you to be able to see who was outside, or what was happening outside, but the undersized windows kept strangers and intruders out and did not allow them to enter. Many houses did not even have windows in all the rooms, but those that had them guaranteed the necessary openings only for a change of air as they were not very prominent. The castles also had small cracks instead of windows.
• Glass was expensive:
In peasant homes that had windows, glass was not the norm, however some of the wealthier homeowners could install glass in their small windows. In addition to the safety factors, it would have been expensive to fit them into larger openings. Often they were only closed by wooden shutters.
• Precipitation:
Houses during the Middle Ages had no windows, and people therefore lived in dark and smoky conditions from fireplaces and candles.
In this period we notice a paradox due to this system:during the day it was dark and cold in the house, which is why they lit the fireplaces and read by candlelight even during the day, all this while the sun was high in the sky outside. .
The creation of small windows gave a little light to the rooms and let in the air to let the smells, humidity and smoke flow. In cold climates, the lack of windows eliminated the problem of bad weather and cold and in the warmer months, the small window gave the house some breathing space.
Many houses built during the Middle Ages are now destroyed or deteriorated by the day. 'today. The houses of the peasants were made of sticks, straw and mud, or reeds and mud.
The only medieval houses that survive in modern times are those that belonged to the rich as they were built in stone and therefore more resistant.
As for the windows, over the centuries, the Renaissance brought innovation. Much of the disorder and turmoil present during most of the Middle Ages had been forgotten by educated society, leading to the dismantling of ancient feudal structures.
As art, music and architecture flourished, windows became a prominent fixed point in homes for the wealthy. And the larger glass openings were decorated with curtains or other decorative elements .
However, large windows were considered a threat during feudal times and were not included in the construction of houses.