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In contrast to the religious and civil architecture, which was huge, the typical house in Antigua consisted of one floor, with rooms surrounding one or more central patios. It was very peaceful with the sound of the water cascading down the fountains and a cool breeze circulating throughout the rooms. Around the patios, corridors were used as gathering areas for the family and guests. In opposition to the open areas of the interiors we find the exterior facades, with high walls and iron balconies which separated the family from the city life. Gates guarding the privacy of the families were made of fine wood and, depending upon the social importance of the family, decorated with simple lintels, or more elaborately with pilasters, moldings, and family shields. The houses with their thick stone masonry walls painted in the ancient colors, wooden ceilings, and roofs of baked clay tiles are part of a city whose story is visible in its buildings. |