El arco como elemento de composición del patio en Xàtiva. Siglos XIV-XVIII

Abstract

The Arch as a Composition Element of the Patio in Xativa. XIV-XVIII Centuries In the Mediterranean architectural tradition, the patio/courtyard is a “vertebral” space within the configuration of the house. It gives rise to a common typology in the former territories of the Crown of Aragon and other regions bathed by the Mare Nostrum, thus demonstrating the existence of an exchange of knowledge and culture from ancient times. In the particular case of the extinct kingdom of Valencia, as a result of the Christian conquest of the 13th century, this type began to develop, evolving over the years in terms of aesthetics, but not from the point of view of function. In this process of evolution a capital element in the configuration of these open and private spaces existed: the arch. Taking as an example the built park of Xàtiva, one of the historic centers with the highest concentration of best preserved urban palaces and patio houses, different arches, shaping the patios of their respective houses, are taken into consideration. The analysis focuses on arch’s function beyond its structural work and, from a formal point of view, on its typological evolution.