On the streets of Grenoble, you might have noticed the many public urinals with their "privacy screens”. They are known as Vespasian’s Columns, named after the Roman emperor. He implemented a tax on collecting urine, making the use of public latrines obligatory in Rome. These “Vespasians” were first introduced in Grenoble in 1834 and are an official part of the city’s heritage. French writer Boris Vian, passing through the city in 1952, noticed these urban structures shaped like miniature watchtowers and remarked that they were “a pedestal which brings a sense of nobility to those who stand at them”. You can find them in several spots around the city, including along Cours Jean and Rue Hébert. Some are still working urinals, while others have been transformed into flower pots.
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