Casa de Salão

Casa de Salão is one of the ex-libris of Porto Santo's cultural and architectural heritage. It's part of the rural landscape of the island and is easily identifiable as it is a single-storey house, with a humble appearance, and is characterised by the 'salão' covering the roof.

Now, 'salão' is a kind of sandy clay or mortar, used by the people of Porto Santo to cover their houses. This ensured the buildings' thermal balance. In summer, it helped to maintain a cool environment, as the drying of this material creates cracks that allow the air to circulate. In turn, in winter, by absorbing rainwater, the cover became spongy and waterproof.

Some examples of these rare and secular constructions can still be found today. Generally they had a living room, a bedroom and a kitchen with an oven and a stone chimney. The partitions of a typical Casa de Salão were made of reed and filled with straw, fern, wood waste or small stones, and then covered with lime and cement. The floor was unpaved.

Come and explore these architectural relics that distinguish the rural landscape of Porto Santo!