Corrala facts for kids
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A corrala is a special type of apartment building. You can find them mostly in old Madrid, Spain. People sometimes call them corridor houses. This is because the apartments have doors that open onto long hallways or corridors. These buildings are often made of wood. All the apartments usually face a central open space, like a patio or courtyard.
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What is a Corrala?
A corrala is a unique kind of home. It's like a big building with many small apartments. These apartments are built around a central courtyard. Imagine a square or rectangle building with a big open space in the middle. The apartments have balconies or corridors that look into this central area. This design helps neighbors connect easily.
How are Corralas Built?
Corralas are often made with wood. They usually have several floors. Each floor has a long corridor. The doors to the apartments open directly onto these corridors. This design was popular a long time ago. It allowed many families to live close together in busy city areas.
Where Can You Find Corralas?
Most corralas are in the older, busy parts of Madrid. They were built a long time ago, between the 17th and 19th centuries. That's from the 1600s to the 1800s! These buildings are an important part of Madrid's history. They show how people used to live in the city.
Corralas in Other Cities
You can also find similar buildings in other Spanish cities. Some examples are Cádiz, Granada, Málaga, Seville, Valencia, and Valladolid. Even cities like Vitoria and Santander have them. They are also in many towns in Castilla y León and Castilla-La Mancha.
Corralas Around the World
Buildings like corralas exist outside of Spain too. In South America, similar apartment buildings are called Conventillos. You can find these in cities like Santiago (Chile), Valparaíso (Chile), Buenos Aires (Argentina), and Montevideo (Uruguay). They share the same idea of apartments around a central courtyard.
Corralas in Culture
Some corralas are so famous they are even mentioned in books! For example, some old Madrid corralas appear in famous Spanish novels. This shows how important they were to the daily life and culture of the time. They are not just buildings; they are part of history and stories.
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