November 19 is UN World Toilet Day, an annual event created in 2001 to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. It aims to draw attention to the importance of the accessible toilets and their role in improving hygiene and health around the world.
According to the UN, a staggering 4.5 billion people live without a household toilet that safely disposes of their waste. One of the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 is to ensure access to water and sanitation for all.
To mark the occasion, Sputnik has put together a collection of some of the most remarkable toilets around the world.
Туалет на краю света (Сибирь) / Toilet at the end of the world (Siberia) pic.twitter.com/g8REFsvPy8
— Simon (Чёрный Перец) (@SimonNRJ) 3 декабря 2013 г.
This toilet is located in Siberia and is used by visitors to Russia's highest-altitute meteorological station, located at the Karatyurek Pass in the Altai Mountains.
The toilet theme appears to be popular in the Far East, where diners can eat in a toilet-themed restaurant or thanks to gaming giant Sega, play games at a urinal.
To meet the needs of revellers celebrating the 300th anniversary of the foundation of St Petersburg, bus manufacturer MAZ devised a set of bus-based toilets. The floor of the bus was raised to make room for sanitation equipment. Entrance is at the rear of the bus and users leave via the front door — not before washing their hands in the former driver's cabin.
Austrian crystal producer Swarovski has made a diamond-studded toilet.
A Swarovski crystal-studded toilet? Now that's fancy! What do you think of this commode? https://t.co/EHvCpTv83o pic.twitter.com/wdkgwWhAFI
— Santhoff Plumbing (@SanthoffPlumber) 25 октября 2016 г.
Outside London's Tate Britain gallery, artist Monica Bonvicini created a toilet made of two-way glass, allowing the person inside to see passers-by.
#Loowithaview? Monica Bonvicini's 'Don’t Miss A Sec' is a public toilet with 1-way mirrors #London #StartTheConversationToday! pic.twitter.com/DOoSoGfETS
— "P" Street News (@Vic_CRC) 27 июля 2017 г.
Haewoojae in South Korea is a monument to the toilet: the world's only toilet-shaped house, museum and theme park.
#OMOTravel Uniknya museum toilet “Haewoojae (Mr. Toilet House)” di Korea. Info: http://t.co/S0W2tXZFQE pic.twitter.com/vxS4yTGQk1
— OMO Korea (@OMOKorea_ID) 6 мая 2015 г.
