The World's Narrowest Street Barely Fits Most Pedestrians

A street named Spreuerhofstrasse in Germany isn't meant to be driven down—and if you're claustrophobic, you should think twice about traversing it on foot. Measuring just over a foot wide at its slimmest point, the passageway is the narrowest street on Earth, according to Guinness World Records.

To get to Spreuerhofstrasse, look for an alleyway connecting the roads Metzgerstrasse and Mauerstrasse in the German city of Reutlingen. It's squeezed between two buildings, and because the path is on municipal property, it's technically a public street. The gap measures 1.64 feet across at its widest point and 1.31 feet wide on average.

In addition to sucking in your gut, you may have to crouch to make it to the end of the corridor. If not, you risk bumping your head on obstructions just 5.9 feet off the ground. Pedestrians brave enough to enter the crevice will have to shuffle awkwardly for 65 feet to make it from one side to the other.

Spreuerhofstrasse is located in the old town part of Reutlingen, and it holds an important place in local history. In 1726, a fire consumed much of the city, and the passageway was built during the reconstruction a year later. It officially became a public street in 1820, and in 2007, its tight proportions were recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records.

You can go to Spreuerhofstrasse to see world record plaques posted at both entrances, but you may want to end your visit there. The 18th-century building on one side of the alley has started to sag, making the area feel even more cramped than it was already. Instead of tearing down the house and altering the dimensions of the street, the city has decided to brace its walls. As long as the structure remains standing, Reutlingen holds the claim to the world's narrowest street—though it won't be winning any awards for practicality.