In
Italy, have you heard of a court house?
Out friend Yle was telling me about a ‘court house’ in Lecce that would
be perfect for my next stay, ……….
She
explained a court house is the typical "case a corte" in Lecce with pietra leccese (lecce stone).
Case a corte, houses with courtyards are typical of the Mediterranean area . They can be found in small villages and towns. They often have a large front door leading onto the courtyard with several houses around the courtyard.
Sometimes,
they have a back garden. The main element is the courtyard where in the old
days families and neighbors used to meet and socialize, telling stories and
passing their traditional culture to the younger generations.
What
towns have you visited that have casa a corte? I have noticed in Naples where there are
apartment buildings and little space for gardens, that families and entire
neighborhoods use the street as their ‘living room’. Everyone socializes out in the street with
chairs and tables set up in the narrow lanes.
All the balconies are ‘perches’ for conversations across alleys.
