Male and female balconies

Male and female balconies side by side. The most obvious Moorish architectural influences can be seen in the canary balconies. In Moorish architecture, the balconies where men or women were allowed to go have a clear distinction based on gender. Moorish dwellings usually had separate balconies for men and women. Women’s balconies were usually sheltered courtyards or elevated balconies designed to provide privacy for female members and with trellises. Their current name "ajimez" comes from the Arabic word "xemesi", which means grid, and even though the Muslims were kicked out of Spain by the time the colonization of the Canary Islands took off, they are still widely used in the Canaries because of their functionality - the Canaries are really tired of the sun, but the wind blows coolly through the lattice. What makes canary balconies special in colonial architecture is the much more inlaid and carved finish of those built on town houses - a rich house builder could bury even a fifth of the entire house’s cost in the carvings of doors, shutters and balconies.