Terraces, porches, porches

The other day I was watching an American weekend movie, light and positive, no matter what it was called. But what caught my eye was a plea by one of the main characters - an architect - for terraced houses. It wasn't about those big, fancy penthouse terraces or the terrace at the back of a two-story, 20-room villa. He was talking about the little terrace - porch as the Americans say - that greet you at the entrance and look very much like the porches or porches of country houses.

Grandparents' house prism

The warmth with which he spoke about the importance of the terrace for the visitor, as well as for family members, reminded me of my grandparents' house where I spent a good part of my childhood vacations. It had a porch both in the back and front of the house. The fretwork wood fretwork, the posts, and the wood embroidery under the eaves adorned and personalized the house.

Every year, Mamaia painted all the woodwork in a very pleasant light silvery-gray color. The porches were the place where he welcomed his guests - the guests of the house on the back porch, and the most important ones, like the priest, on the one in front of the house.

The porch of the old church in Băița

I also found the wooden porch that welcomes you warmly at the wooden church, more than 300 years old, in the commune of Băița, near Reghin, where I went for a few days this summer. The very beautiful church, but unfortunately not restored, has this wooden porch on the side where the entrance door to the church is.

The porch was built to protect the church and the people from animals and bad weather. On the wood of the church and the porch are carved many signs that are specific to these constructions, symbols that were meant to protect the building from evil spirits. These include the cross, the rope, the sun and the horse's head.

Narrow porches have evolved into wide, welcoming terraces

Over time the porches have evolved, getting wider to make room for benches, rocking chairs and sometimes even tables.

Gone are the carved wooden symbols, varied colors and sophisticated protective materials. The design has changed here and there without altering the message.

The same general aspect of welcome you feel when you see a house like this. It's still the place you walk past and wait to see, in a rocking chair, a familiar face smiling in greeting.