The tinao is an architectural solution, typical of the popular architecture of the region of La Alpujarra, in the Spanish provinces of Almería and Granada, which creates covered spaces of semi-private or semi-public scope, by arranging a structure of beams on the street, on which a room or private home is usually located.

The Tinao is one of the architectural elements expressly protected, due to its heritage value in the Historical Site of the Alpujarra, with BIC status.

In a certain way, the tinao has common aspects with the arcades and passages "Pasaje (urbanism)") (also called sheds) and, in terms of its social function, with other architectural elements, such as the skates "Patín (architecture)") of the Soba Valley.

Contenido

Existen tres tipos de tinaos:.

Take a bath

When the beam structure rests on the homes located on both sides of a street, forming a passage under it, of a public and passable nature. In some towns, such as Atalbéitar or Fondales (La Taha), the tinaos located one after the other, make up spaces of great length and relevance.

Bathtubs in homes

In some cases, the tinaos are arranged in "fund de sac", under the structure of a single home. In such cases they usually give the tinao, which functions as a hallway, the access to the home itself, as well as to the stable and other rooms of the house. Although the tinao is always open to public space, in these cases it usually has a semi-private use, as a meeting and resting place.

The name tinao is also applied, improperly, to the rooms open to the street, which exist in some homes, as a covered terrace "Terrace (architecture)").

semi-detached tinao

There are various examples of tinaos arranged parallel to the façade of the house, with the beam structure resting on the house itself and on pillars, made of masonry or brick (never made of wood), as a porch. In such cases, it is a public space for semi-private use and, usually, there is not a room on them but a kind of open terrace.