Fuerteventura Arquitecture

The architecture in Antigua and Fuerteventura enables us to learn their culture and the way the inhabitants of this island live their life. In Fuerteventura can be found 4 types of buildings: RELIGIOUS-SINGULARES-ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND RESIDENTIAL. Among the religious buildings you find 12 churches and a score of hermitages in several villages in the island. The churches were built as they were developed several villages in the island, and they were constructed to denote the different eras; with the passage of time and due to different causes, whether fires, pirates invasions or for extensions had to be rebuilt.
The chapels were built mostly in the eighteenth century, by the villagers themselves, which is why the buildings in its simplicity and poverty of materials.

The Singular buildings, and are called by their special features, such as Cemeteries, Lighthouses and Storage. The Cemeteries emerged in the nineteenth century, built next to the churches of each town. There are currently 12 and they are constructed by walls of stone and lime form as a pyramid, and a rectangular chapel in the background. Formerly to uphold and protect ports were built as fortifications, as is the case with “Caleta de Fustes”, “El Tostón” and “Tarajelejo”. Today there are 4 Lighthouses from the beginning of the century; “Los faros de lobos”, “El Tostón”, “Punta de jandía” and “La entallada” in Tuineje. And 2 new lighthouses, “morro jable” and “puerto del rosario”.

In storage for crops, agricultural and livestock products are used so-called “CILLAS” and “TAROS”. Cillas were where the church gathers the fruits of tithe and own crops; The Cilla still preserved until today is La Oliva. Taros instead were storage for domestic and agricultural products, also functioned as cheese equipment and store for tools; there are currently 6 taros: Lajares, Ampuyenta, Pájara, La Matilla.

There is another type of buildings, which are linked to the economy and cultural heritage of the island. Here we find Tenerías, Tahonas, Molinos, Hornos de Cal and Salinas. Tenerías are units that are used for the tanning of the skin, currently preserved is Tenería de Mézquez. “Molinos” (mills) were for family use, used for grinding grain, especially “gofio” that is consumed daily; the first mills were worked by hand, which were built of easy materials to work with and achieve as they were used in the same houses. After the hand mills came the bakeries (approx. XVIII Century) which were more community also used to grind grain; also used for grinding grain, these were built next to the farmers houses, and it was linked with agricultural purposes. Then the bakeries were replaced by large mills, which are today single elements of the landscape of the island, here are 2 types, Molino Macho and La Molina.

The lime kilns, emerged in the seventeenth century by the exploitation of lime; this were used for 3 things, launder, housing construction and purification of rainwater. There are 2 types of furnaces; of firewood, which are smaller and circulars and carbon, larger rectangular and silver. Las Salinas is the most important part of the island of Fuerteventura, whose purpose was to obtain salt by the evaporation of sea water thanks to the sun. Currently Salinas del Carmen is the only one that is left from that time, which is of great historical and cultural interest.
In residential construction 2 types are found, the traditional house and manor house. The low-income housing were built to withstand the high winds and lack of water. Formerly built with dry stone after that with agglutinated stone in mud, later with lime mortar and finally with blocks of volcanic sand and cement. The roofs were made of “pírganos”, hawthorn branches or “bobos”, then its internal structure was used slats and wooden planks. The busiest places in the house were the kitchen and the underground reservoir.

Of the manor homes we can say they had Portuguese, Spanish and Andalusian influences.