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 The courtyard formed the hub of the house and was a multifunctional area: somewhere to work, somewhere for storage and looking after animals, and the place for communal facilities such as the bathroom, the tank or well, and the washbasins. But it was also the place for socialising, where tales of popular culture passed from fathers to their children and on to their grandchildren. There was usually a garden behind, used for growing vegetables and where sewage and old manure was deposited as fertiliser. As social and economic conditions improved in these communities so did the construction techniques used for their courtyard houses and the elements they contained. Tiled roofs were replaced by star-shaped vaults in Lecce stone, a covered carriage-room (called sampuerto) linked to the street was introduced into the courtyards and windows gained shutters for privacy. In some cases baroque decorations started to appear on doorways, windows and shelving; and living units were heightened, with ramps built to lead to an upper floor and overhanging balconies. Such developments led to their appearance straying ever further from the original courtyard-fronted huts. Courtyard houses therefore represent not just a distinct architectural style but a social and human heritage and the few remaining examples in good condition are the object of much attention and interest. Their preservation will safeguard a living model based on common space, solidarity and exchange that remains valid today. previous page |
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