In much of Spain and Morocco it is very hot for a deal of the year.
This, in large part, explains why many wealthy persons’ houses traditionally had few external windows, very small ones, or absolutely none.
Many such houses had very thick walls, with “surprisingly” plain exterior surfaces.
These houses look in, not out.
Their rooms face a well-shaded courtyard.
Invariably, that courtyard has plants and a water feature; usually, it includes various, oft-beautiful decorative elements. The decorations may be very spare, or highly intricate/elaborate.
The pictured example is in Granada, Spain,
Originally a wealthy 18th century citizen’s house, it is ideally situated on Carrera Del Darro – one of Europe’s loveliest streets.
The house has been sensitively restored and now contains several apartments.
“Our” apartment was on the top floor.
Its (modern) street-facing window offered jaw-dropping views, down to the cobbled street and across the river…then straight up a very steep wooded slope to the ramparts of the Alhambra’s fortress section.
This chapter’s sequel takes us to Fez, Morocco; the house in question is more than six hundred years old.
Its courtyard beggars belief!