Casas Típicas de Santana, translated as the ”Typical Houses of Santana”, is an iconic landmark of Madeira Island, an autonomous region of Portugal. The best versions of these houses are located in the Santana municipality of the island. They have similar features with their triangle shape, small windows, and bright, colorful exteriors.
The Casas Típicas de Santana is made from wood and thatch. The farmers and other inhabitants built them during the settling of the island with easily accessible materials. The thatched roofs are sharply angled, almost touching the ground to help water run off the house with ease and keep the inside of the home dry during heavy rains. The same materials also help keep the houses cool during summer and warm during winter. The houses are painted bright blue, red, and white. There are just one or two rooms in each house. Sadly, the traditional interior decoration is diminishing due to various reasons like the change of the era, the maintenance fees, etc. The height of these houses is about 5 meters. Unfortunately, there are only a few original houses left.
Many of these houses have been converted into various shops. Others are being repaired since they require constant maintenance, or are used as accommodations.
