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Architecture of the Algarve

by Almonds and Oranges   

The first builders

In the 2nd century BC, the Romans took control of the Algarve and, as well as introducing Christianity to the region, they bought with them many skills, including their building expertise.

They constructed roads, bridges and aquaducts, introduced early forms of plumbing and decorated their buildings with fine mosaics. There are many examples of Roman built villas across the Algarve and a number of the ruin sites have been maintained as tourist attractions.

Silves Roman Bridge Ponteromana Alagrve Portugal

The majority of towns in the Algarve have some lasting Roman influence. The Ponte Romana in Silves (pictured left) is a good example. One of the most notable is Cerro do Vila, in central Vilamoura. Visitors to this site are able to view the remarkably geometric mosaic tiled floors. Another is the Milreu ruins in Estói, near Faro. Famous for what’s left of its colourful mosaic floors depicting jumping fish, this grand Roman Villa also shows off the beauty of Roman architecture with its inner courtyard and remains of a 22 column colonnade. In addition, there’s a wine press, baths, mausoleums and temple, and an example of a 16th century Algarvean farmhouse which was built over part of the ruins.

The Moors – a major architectural influence

Next came the Visigoths in the 5th century, a nomadic tribe of Germanic peoples (Goths). The influence of the Visigoths in the Algarve was not great or lasting and there is little evidence of original Visigoth architecture in the region.

However, when the Moors conquered Lagos in 716, North-African influenced architecture spread throughout the Algarve. Examples of the unique Moroccan styling can be seen across the region in its buildings and, in particular, its chimney stacks. Probably the most spectacular Moorish site is Silves Castle (pictured right). The red stone structure, in the former capital of the Algarve, provides an awesome welcome as visitors approach the town from either the east or the west.

Silves Castle Algarve Portugal

In the mid-13th century, the Algarve was the last part of Portugal to be reconquered from Muslim rule. It was during this time that the Portuguese built two Gothic style cathedrals, one in Faro and the other in Silves. Typical gothic features such as pointed arches, buttresses and ribbed vaulting can be seen in these two structures and also in many of the parish churches around the Algarve.

Santa Misericordia Church Silves Algarve Portugal

Manueline and Renaissance – short-lived

The unique Portuguese style known as Manueline, followed the Gothic of the 13th, 14th and 15th centuries. Named after Manuel ‘the fortunate’, the king of Portugal who ruled from 1469 until his death 52 years later; Manueline was in vogue for a mere few decades before Renaissance took over. However, there are some good examples of the Manueline ornate flora styling to be seen in the Algarve. The magnificent Manueline style door (pictured left) of the Santa Misericórdia Church, opposite Silves Cathedral, and the decoration around the windows and doorways of the parish church in Santa Bárbara de Nexe are two of many. During the 16th century, the classical lines and symmetry of Renaissance architecture could be seen in new buildings across Portugal. In the Algarve, the interior of Faro Cathedral is a surviving example of this short-lived architectural period.

Baroque splendour

By the mid-17th century, Baroque had become the new trend in Portuguese architecture. The Roman Catholic Church favoured the splendour of the ostentatious Baroque styling, with its intricately carved and gilded woodwork. This artwork was generally confined to the interior of buildings, with the exterior often being rather plain and uninteresting; the contrast was surprising to say the least. The Igreja da Ordem Terceira do Carmo de Tavira (Carmo Church) is a good example of the astonishing conflict of styles (church alter pictured right).

Carmo Church Algarve Portugal

After the great quake

The Great Earthquake of 1755 shook the whole of Western Europe. The quake’s epicentre is calculated to have been about 200km west-south-west of Cape St Vincent and so rocked southern Portugal. Practically all sizable structures were damaged or destroyed. It’s thanks to the Marquis of Pombal, the prime minister of the day, who arranged the reconstruction of countless buildings across the Algarve, without which the region would have few or no buildings of historical interest today.

Palace of estoi Algarve Portugal

The extravaganza of Baroque styling continued throughout the 18th century and, three centuries later, visitors to many of the Algarve’s churches are greeted by its beaming gilded cherubs. The Palace of Estói (pictured left) was also built in the 18th century, but its architecture is a later form of Baroque called Rococo. Rococo tended to be more graceful and less garish.

More modern times

In the 19th and early 20th century, the Algarve began to embrace a plainer and more modest style. Local builders constructed rectangular houses, some two-storied. Designed to keep their occupants cool in summer and warm in winter, their walls were often thick and were finished in rough plaster and whitewashed over, with bright bands of colour painted around the doors and windows. The frontage of many properties was completely tiled for decoration and also as a low maintenance option, keeping out damp in winter and requiring little attention.

Traditional Algarve House Portugal

Luxury Apartments Algarve Portugal

More recently, air conditioned apartment blocks and town houses have been erected to provide housing for local families, while hotel complexes, timeshare villages, shopping precincts and waterparks have been developed to cater to the increasing number of tourists visiting the region.

Over the past ten years or so, the Algarve has also seen a number of new immigrants from the UK and other parts of Europe, who have chosen to retire or relocate to the region. The influx of people from different cultures, with their individual styles and ideas, has resulted in a diverse array of new homes. These include stunning contemporary properties by award-winning architects like Vasco Vieira, who has created several exclusive homes across Portugal. However, to counter the modern styling, the region is seeing its new foreign residents restoring the Algarve’s once neglected traditional Quintas and cottages to their former glory.

Contemporary House Algarve portugal

There’s a wide range of property for sale on our website, including buildings to restore and plots of land with building potential.

Thanks to Alyson Sheldrake for the use of images from her Algarve Blog

 

Brought to you by Meravista – the place where smart people search for Algarve property for sale.

Meravista Property Search Algarve Portugal