Algarve Chimneys

When Your Fireplace has a Hat

As discussed on Tuesday, our Guadiana River cruise included a walking tour of a very small village. It was during this tour that our guide Ester mentioned the history of the Algarve chimney. She may be right…or she could have just made it up.

Muslim Influence

If you have been following along you know that the Moors occupied Algarve for many years (711 — 1294). In fact, the word Algarve comes from the Arabic الغرب, al-gharb meaning “The West”. This name was given by the Muslims to designate the region to the west of Andalusia.

Loulé

The influence of the Moors can be seen in much of the architecture of the area and is recognized in murals like the one below.

Silves

Fact or Fiction

The legend of the chaminé Algarvia, Algarve chimney, seems to be a mixture of fact and fiction. Some suggest "They came from the Arabs," or "The Moors started them," but this can’t be true. The Moors didn’t build chimneys and lost control of the region in 1294. The oldest Algarve chimney dates back to 1713. In fact, that chimney sits atop a small restaurant in Porches. It is white and square and includes a primitive painting of a woman with outstretched arms.

The more intricate, the more expensive.

At the same time, many of the designs seem to have Moorish influence, resembling minarets. I suppose this is why Ester suggested that they were erected by Muslims who were forced to convert to Christianity if they wanted to work. After work, they would return to their Muslim faith and home. While this is an interesting theory, I have searched and searched and cannot find any mention of such a legacy.

Photographed during our walking tour.

I did find that everyone agrees that the ornateness of the chimney was a statement of wealth and standing in the community. When an artisan was commissioned to build the chimney he would ask, “How many days of chimney do you want?”. The more ornate and difficult it was to construct the more expensive it became.

Of course, today while these top nearly every home in Algarve, sadly the Algarve chimney artisan is in very scarce supply. Instead, the chimneys are mass-produced and can be purchased throughout the area. I stopped in a ceramic store in VRSA last week to ask if the shop owner knew of a craftsman. She explained she knew of one in Sintra but none in the local area.

We pass many stores along N125 that showcase dozens of mass-produced ones. We have discussed what design we like best. But it would be wonderful to find an artisan that could create one just for us? If you know of someone please let us know.

And if you want to read an interesting article about a man who is trying to preserve the Algarve chimney through a photographic record…read this article.

Next Week: a day in Estoi and a carless trip back to Cascais.