# Why are European apartment doors built like bank vaults? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 2, 2025, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-european-apartment-doors-built-like-bank-vaults/1023610 "2025-10-02T18:17:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-european-apartment-doors-built-like-bank-vaults/1023610/41 "2025-10-05T06:46:08Z")
We had a massive door in Taiwan with three sets of bolts. And a key that was difficult to pick. Of course, the back door had a really cheap lock which looked like a child could pick it. And it had the benefit of being out of sight of the road. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2025, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-european-apartment-doors-built-like-bank-vaults/1023610/42 "2025-10-05T14:58:23Z")
> [@Mops](#): > > I looked at my apartment door here (Germany, apartment built 2020-22). It’s RC2 class (withstands a burglary attempt with wedges, crowbar and screwdrivers for 3 minutes). This seems to be the minimum prescribed by German construction standards. Fully locking the door actuates three bolts, at the middle, bottom and top of the lock-side edge. Thanks for that. I tried Googling for the equivalent US standards and there didn’t seem to be a similar requirement for how secure the door is; just the width and fire rating. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-european-apartment-doors-built-like-bank-vaults/1023610.md?page=2)