Where did all the public bathrooms go?

In 19th-century Paris, cholera outbreaks prompted authorities to treat public urination as a public health crisis, leading to the 1850 ban on the practice and the creation of ornately designed public urinals called pissoirs. These decorative structures, adorned with iron flowers and architectural details, offered minimal privacy but successfully addressed sanitation concerns. The article traces how this French innovation contrasts with modern utilitarian public restrooms, reflecting changing attitudes toward urban hygiene and public infrastructure.