The colours of the facades of the houses and buildings preserve the identity of the colonial architecture of the Northeast. Many houses, buildings, and especially churches, convents, squares and streets, date from the time when Brazil was mainly colonised by the Portuguese.
In addition, various other peoples, such as the Dutch, Jews, English, French, Arabs, Spaniards, Russians and Africans, have left their mark on Brazilian architecture.
The Northeastern culture, present in every state of the region, enchants with its beauty and appreciation of every element. Whether it’s gastronomy, handicrafts, music or nature, the Northeast of Brazil attracts visitors from all over the country and the world, who fall in love with its charms, which deserve to be appreciated and cherished.
Northeastern architecture has a history full of beauty and characteristics, with a strong influence from Portuguese architecture.
With the colonisation of Brazil by Europeans, the Portuguese architectural style dominated the region, especially in religious architecture, with its luxury and richness of detail in the decoration of churches.
History of Baroque art
História da Arte Barroca
The houses had simpler features at first, and even the large farmhouses didn’t have so many decorative elements. However, they did make use of the enormous interior space and the balconies.
Luxury and Ostentation in residences began to become more evident with the arrival of the Portuguese royal family in Brazil, who landed in Salvador in 1808 and then moved on to Rio de Janeiro.
With the advance of urbanisation in the 17th century and the need to protect houses from pirate attacks on the coast, semi-detached houses appeared, following a more compact model. The facades formed one big wall.
Baroque architecture is prominent in the churches of the north-east.
Salvador is famous for having 365 churches, one for each day of the year. Much of the beauty that doesn’t jump out at tourists is preserved in the churches and monasteries of the Bahian capital.
This architectural style has characteristics that exalt Christianity, with elements such as arches, rounded columns, exuberant decoration, a predominance of gold on the inside and, on the outside, light colours such as shades of beige and white.
The colours of colonial houses in northeastern architecture
The contrast between the colours of the buildings embellishes the town. The houses tend to have a modest appearance, with colonial features, and are still preserved today with their coloured façades and certain characteristics.
They are known as platbands and are located at the top of the façade. Their function was to “hide” the roof and prevent rainwater from running down the street.
In addition to this use, platbands were also designed to embellish and decorate the building.
Among the most common elements in this type of structure are the year of construction, baroque shells, eagles and women’s sculptures.
In capital cities such as Salvador, Recife and Natal, there are many houses and public buildings where platibandas stand out. They are not only a reminder of the days of monoculture, but also of the cultural identity of the Northeast.
The lime-coloured painting of slabs and facades is an artisanal practice that is very characteristic of the region.
In the capitals as well as in the interior and the interior, houses with coloured facades stand out in the towns. The variety of colours creates a kind of rainbow that is characteristic and unique to the northeastern culture.
During the revitalisation process that took place at the end of the 20th century, many buildings took on bright colours that have been preserved to this day.
It is interesting to note that the colours used on the façades also show something of the personalities of the inhabitants. This is a characteristic that helps to reveal the identity of the people of the region.
Tourist guide to Bahia and the Northeast
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