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The secrets of the architecture of Salento
Aquitectura de Salento
The secrets of the architecture of Salento

The architecture of Salento.

It is almost a fact that some materials and techniques used in the construction of the colonial houses of Salento no longer exist as a consequence of modernism and the elaboration of other products for the market.

Of course, we are talking about houses with more than 200 years of age, a condition that gives them a certain charm and exclusivity with respect to what the new constructions offer.

Although, that forces any restoration to become a real challenge, it is also the answer to what it means to preserve details to make works special pieces of permanent admiration.

The facades: this is not perceived, there is a mixture of facades in Salento that vary according to the time in which they were built. The oldest, before 1890, come from houses in rectangle and he; the following, until 1920, mix guadua and mat covered with pañete whose resistance allows the construction of two floors; then republican-style designs appear and since 1968, modern architecture has been imposed with a fusion of styles without an identity of its own.

Hotels and hostels in Salento retain the style of the facades of before.

The bahareque and tread: the first mixture of water, earth and horse manure as essential elements that merge in the same mound to erect walls and the second is similar but includes mud and wood sticks or pieces of guadua in order to affirm the floors. It is a very old technique of which there are still many constructions throughout Salento.

Doors: it is frequent to use drafts that resemble baroque-style styles. They are characterized by their large size, their striking color, sometimes strong or sometimes with pastel tones and the weight and hardness of the wood. Some have a smaller door that opens independently and whose technique is called wicket

Windows: Their designs resemble doors. Some have intense tones, some are pastel. They usually open up from the inside. They are almost always square and are divided into four equal parts that open independently. That’s what’s called a wicket, the ability to open only part of the window.

Ceilings: nothing more original than seeing the roofs in clay tile that extend to the eaves whose perimeter is expanded to cover the platforms in case it rains. The ceilings are manufactured piece by piece in wood through a very beautiful extinct technique that some houses manage to conserve. The ceilings usually take circular figures that give effect of enlargement. The pastel colors are distinguished in this type of structure.

Patios: play a fundamental role in the internal structure of the house. Around them are all the rooms and the kitchen. The patio, usually, is made of river stone and is delimited by a wooden railing or chambrana. They keep certain light colors.

Balconies: more than an external part of the house, the balcony has been considered an element of great aesthetic value. Their designs are as versatile as authentic, sometimes they reflect a Baroque or Republican style, nevertheless they do not leave the general concept of the house.

Zaguanes: it is an internal structure of the house that is defined as a corridor that communicates the room with the entrance door. For years it has been used as a vestibule to hang some clothes like sacks or hats.

Baseboards: bottom strip of walls, almost always painted dark color that matches other design elements of the house, especially in the color aspect.

Chambranas: very popular as part of the inner courtyards of the houses. They are usually painted in strong colors or pastels. They are made of wood and macana and come from the Antioqueño colonial style. They differ from the country houses because the latter locate their chambranas in the external areas of the house.

Perhaps you are interested: Colombia’s Salento one of world’s most beatiful towns thanks to architecture

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