patio

patio, in Spanish and Latin American architecture, a courtyard within a building, open to the sky. It is a Spanish development of the Roman atrium and is comparable to the Italian cortile. The patio was a major feature in medieval Spanish architecture. Sevilla Cathedral (1402–1506) has a patio, as did the ducal palace at Guadalajara (1480–92; destroyed 1936), which was a transitional work displaying Moorish, Gothic, and Renaissance architectural details.

During the Spanish Renaissance the patio became a standard element in houses. It differed from its Italian counterpart in having a greater degree of seclusion, possibly due to Moorish custom. In the Alcázar, Toledo (c. 1531–53; largely destroyed 1936–39), the patio could only be seen through a few doorways.

Because of the hot climate of Spain, arcades surrounding patios took on special importance as shelters from the heat and came to be richly decorated. The patio was imported by the Spanish to Latin America, where it is a characteristic feature of ecclesiastic and larger secular and domestic structures.

The patio of contemporary suburban houses in the United States is a small outdoor area adjoining or partially enclosed by the house. It is often paved and provided with some kind of shade.