No Peeking

They go by many names: peepholes, spyholes, wicket doors, grilles, peekholes, doorholes, magic mirrors, & door viewers - odd that we can´t seem to latch on to any one name. Some are digital & are triggered by motion, some are fitted with fisheye lenses, some will allow you into afterhour clubs & high stake poker games, some add a layer of protection to your home while others facilitate air flow, & some may have let you into speakeasies or stopped you from entering walled cities - assuming that you have a time machine. They are made of brass, bronze, iron, & wood, can be a basic hinged door or of intricate art deco design. New or old, high tech or vintage, utilitarian or decorative, they can be found on tens of thousands of doors across Europe. Often ingenious (in the city of Alcalá de Henares near Madrid peepholes aren´t vertical, but rather horizontal - they allow those living on upper floors a clear view of who´s at the door) & frequently gorgeous, the humble (& oft-times not-so humble) peephole offer us a peek at our collective architectural & cultural past. (Photo: La Mirilla, Álcala de Henares, Spain - © Urban Caravan Photography.)