When my sister moved into her new home, she expected to find a few unusual features. Maybe an odd light switch or a strange cabinet. What she didn’t expect was a toilet with what looked like a built-in shelf. Confused, she immediately called me and asked if I had ever seen anything like it before. Honestly, I hadn’t.

Curiosity quickly took over. We spent the next hour trying to figure out why anyone would design a toilet with a raised platform or ledge built into the bowl. At first, we assumed it was some kind of storage feature, a cleaning aid, or even a design mistake from decades ago.

As it turns out, these toilets are actually common in certain parts of Europe. The built-in shelf is intentionally designed to catch waste before it drops into the water. While it may seem unusual to people who have never seen one before, the feature serves a specific purpose and has been used for many years.

Supporters of the design say it allows for easier inspection of stool for health reasons and can reduce splashing. Critics, however, often find the design less pleasant because it can require more frequent cleaning and may allow odors to linger longer than in standard toilets.

What initially looked like one of the strangest bathroom features imaginable turned out to be a practical design with a long history. So if your sister ever encounters a toilet with a built-in shelf, there’s no need to worry—it’s not broken, it’s just a different style that many people around the world have been using for decades.