Enfilade (architecture)

The enfilade (French enfiler: Stringing, string ) or space flight is a baroque architecture means. It consists of a series of rooms to a suite, the door openings are exactly opposite. As a result, one can look to the wall of the last chamber or through a window therein with the doors open from the first space.

The enfilade was developed in France and found the construction of representative secular buildings like Hôtels ( city palace ), manor houses and castles use. First examples are found during the Renaissance, but the heyday of the enfilade was the baroque. In the Biedermeier period the intimacy came to the fore and the stylistic device of enfilade found less application.

Examples

A complete suite of rooms is located in the Palace of Versailles. Impressive enfilades are also found in the Würzburg Residence, the Ludwigsburg residence and the New Palace of Sanssouci.