Tag:amenity=bench

amenity = bench
Description
A place for people to sit, allowing room for one or more people.
Rendering in OSM Carto
Group: amenities
Used on these elements
Useful combination
bench:type=* backrest=yes/no armrest=yes/no seats=* seats:separated=yes/no material=* colour=* length=* direction=* covered=yes operator=* wheelchair=*
See also
bench=* leisure=picnic_table leisure=bleachers leisure=outdoor_seating amenity=lounger memorial=bench playground=youth_bench playground=seat
Status: approved
amenity=bench $1% $1% $1% $1% More details at taginfo
Tools for this tag
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A place to sit. Benches are used for resting for a period of time. They can be particularly important to older people or those with restricted mobility who need a place to sit or lean while travelling. Additionally, benches are often used for everyday activities like reading, or eating when a picnic table is not available.

This page describes a standalone bench (amenity=bench). To indicate a bench belonging to another feature (shelter, bus stop, platform), see bench (yes / no / separate). To specify what kind of bench it is, see bench:type below.

How to map

Use the tag amenity=bench on a node (typical) or a way (if tagging an unusually long bench, a series of connected benches or a bench built around another object like a tree).

Tags used in combination

Type of bench

• bench:type – The kind of bench. If omitted, a normal sit-down bench (seated) is assumed. Full list with photos: Key:bench:type. Use this key, not bench=*, to specify the type of the bench. bench=* means presence whether a bench is present on another feature such as bus stop, with values of yes / no / separate.
  • bench:type=seated – A normal bench.
  • bench:type=stand_up – Lean-against support while standing with no seat to fully sit on (e.g. at public-transport platforms, sports fields, playgrounds).
  • bench:type=block – Massive block suitable for sitting, often stone or concrete. Consider also adding informal=yes if the block is not primarily intended to be sat on.
  • bench:type=lounger – Allows (partially) lying down. If lying is the primary posture, consider amenity=lounger instead.
  • bench:type=platform – Larger seating area, usually without backrest. Consider mapping as area with area=yes.
  • bench:type=swing – Hanging bench for swinging (not playground equipment like playground=swing).
  • bench:type=log – Log intended to be used as bench.
  • bench:type=dangle_bench – Raised seating allowing users to dangle legs.
• two_sided=yes – Whether the bench can be sat on from both sides.

Physical and seating properties

• backrest=yes/no – Whether the bench has a backrest (or backrests). Useful for older people or those with restricted mobility.
• armrest=yes/no – Whether the bench has any armrests. Useful for leaning and for getting on/off.
• seats=* – Estimate of how many people can comfortably sit on the bench.
• seats:separated=yes/no – Whether the seats are physically separated.
• material=* – What the seating is made from (e.g. wood, metal, concrete).
• colour=* – Main colour of the bench.
• length=* – Length of the bench.
• direction=* – Direction the bench (or a seated person) faces. Compass point (e.g. "NW") or degrees (e.g. "315"). Usable on nodes or lines .
• wheelchair=* – Whether the bench is suitable to be used with a wheelchair.
• See Hostile architecture#Hostile benches for benches that cannot be used for lying down.

Shelter, management, memorial

• covered=yes – Whether the bench is covered.
• bin=yes/no – Whether a waste bin is attached. If present, map separately as amenity=waste_basket where possible; bin=no records that there is definitely none.
• operator=* – Operator responsible for the bench.
• historic=memorial + memorial=bench – A bench that is also dedicated as a memorial to someone or something.
• inscription=* – Inscription or dedication, typically if the bench is a memorial bench.
• openbenches:id=* – Entry ID on Open Benches.

Examples

Image	Tags
	amenity=bench backrest=yes armrest=yes seats=4 material=wood
	amenity=bench backrest=yes armrest=no seats=4 material=wood (seat only, frame is metal)
	amenity=bench backrest=no armrest=no seats=4 material=wood (seat only, legs are brick)
	amenity=bench backrest=yes armrest=yes seats=4 material=metal
	amenity=bench backrest=yes armrest=yes seats=2 historic=memorial memorial=bench
	amenity=bench backrest=yes armrest=yes seats=8 two_sided=yes Can also be mapped as two adjacent bench nodes with opposite direction=* tags .
	amenity=bench backrest=yes armrest=no seats=4 colour=blue
	A node with natural=tree or man_made=planter. For the bench: either add bench=yes to the tree/planter or make a closed way around it with amenity=bench
	An accessible bench a wheelchair user could transfer onto. amenity=bench wheelchair=yes backrest=yes armrest=yes seats=4
	Bus stop with a bench. highway=bus_stop bench=yes (no need for amenity=bench, but if the bench inside is mapped as a separate node, do not remove bench=yes from the bus stop)
	amenity=bench backrest=yes armrest=yes seats=3 material=wood chat_bench=yes initiative=chat_bench initiative:wikidata=Q131697973

Special functions and initiatives

Benches may belong to an initiative, e.g. Happy-to-chat-benches or Ride-sharing-benches. Map the physical bench as above and add the function:

• Ride-sharing benches: highway=hitchhiking + bench=yes (same pattern as benches at public-transport stops).
• Happy-to-chat benches: chat_bench=yes + initiative=chat_bench + initiative:wikidata=Q131697973. See forum discussion.

Rendering

• OSM Carto – nodes: (ways not rendered as of 10/2024. [1])
• Wanderreitkarte – rendered in the online map
• JOSM – icon of a backless bench; special mappaint style Bench can be added
• Röntgen – , with backrest: , without backrest:

See also

• bench:type – Kind of bench (seated, stand_up, block, lounger, platform, swing, log, dangle_bench)
• bench – yes/no/separate; presence of a bench belonging to another feature
• memorial=bench – Memorial as bench
• leisure=picnic_table – Table with benches for food and rest
• leisure=bleachers – Raised tiered rows for spectators
• leisure=outdoor_seating – Guest seating outside
• amenity=lounger – Object for lying down
• amenity=chair – Chair fixed in place
• playground=youth_bench – Playground bench, often age-graded heights
• Approved features/Bench – Approved proposal for amenity=bench
• Proposed features/Public Transport#Platform – Approved proposal for bench=yes/no
• Proposed features/Bench detail – Originally rejected proposal for optional tags

External links

• MapComplete theme for benches and picnic tables – Simple online editor to add or edit benches.
• Age Friendly Ireland – Age Friendly Seating
• Building for Everyone: A Universal Design Approach – Section 1.5.4.7 Seating

Related terms: ‹ bench › ‹ seat ›