Casas de Taipa

The Taipa Houses are a set of four typical Alentejo houses that we offer to our guests to feel like one lives in the genuine Alentejo. Casa do Compadre, Casa da Comadre, Casa do Lêntéjo and Casa dos Vizinhos are located in the parish of São Pedro do Corval, the largest pottery center in Portugal. The way of life of the village inhabitants, as well as the rustic aspect of the houses, allows those who visit us to witness and live in the real Alentejo…

The houses in Alentejo are single storey. Their construction is made with brick or mud walls – known as taipa, a material formed by wet earth compressed between collapsible wooden flaps, removed after drying. These walls are laid on shale foundations that extend to ground level. The walls are whitewashed with colored skirting boards, usually in blue or ochre. The windows are typically small to keep the house cool. The roof has a gambrel design, with a reed or wood lining to isolate the heat, and the houses generally have a large chimney.