{"id":12679,"date":"2025-04-03T09:14:28","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T08:14:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thesoundofthecosta.com\/?p=12679"},"modified":"2025-03-31T21:04:22","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T20:04:22","slug":"the-blue-domes-of-the-costa-blanca","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesoundofthecosta.com\/en\/the-blue-domes-of-the-costa-blanca\/","title":{"rendered":"The blue domes of the Costa Blanca"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you, like me, often find yourself wandering around the Costa Blanca, you\u2019ve probably noticed them too: those charming whitewashed villages with, towering above them all\u2026 a striking blue dome. One of those features that makes you think: who ever decided that was a good idea? And why do you see so many of them here? So, here it is: the story of the blue domes of the Costa Blanca. <\/p>\n

The first time I truly noticed one was in Altea. I was standing in the church square, having just ordered a caf\u00e9 con leche, when the midday light hit the glossy blue tiles of the church dome. It was as if someone had switched on a spotlight aimed at the sky. It\u2019s known as \u201cthe blue dome of Altea\u201d \u2014 though to me, it looked more like a sacred porcelain teapot (though I\u2019d never dare say that out loud to a local). <\/p>\n

\"\"Where do the blue domes of the Costa Blanca come from?<\/h4>\n

There isn\u2019t one clear-cut explanation, but two main theories. One is practical, the other poetic \u2014 so let\u2019s start with the poetry. In many Mediterranean cultures, the colour blue is seen as a form of protection against evil. It keeps bad spirits out \u2014 or in this case: out of the church. That\u2019s why you\u2019ll find blue rooftops and accents not only in Spain, but also in Morocco and Greece. <\/p>\n

The more technical explanation is simple: the sun. The glazed blue roof tiles \u2014 tejas vidriadas azules<\/em> \u2014 reflect sunlight in a way that helps keep the interior cool and makes the church visible from afar. A kind of heavenly GPS<\/em>, long before satellites. Especially in the 18th and 19th centuries, when many of these churches were rebuilt or renovated, these glossy ceramic tiles became a popular way to combine style with visibility. <\/p>\n

Moorish influences? Hmm, maybe not at first glance. But then again \u2014 absolutely. <\/h4>\n

Are these domes a remnant of the Moors? Not directly. But like so many things in Spain, the answer is \u201cno \u2014 and yet, yes.\u201d The love of ceramics, the use of glazed tiles, and even the preference for rounded, eye-catching roofs\u2026 all of it has been heavily influenced by Islamic architecture, which dominated this region for centuries. <\/p>\n

You could see it as a kind of aesthetic inheritance. After the Reconquista \u2014 the Christian reconquest of Spain from the Moors by kings like Jaume I<\/a> \u2014 many mosques were converted into churches, and architects often kept elements that already worked. Why change something that was both beautiful and functional? <\/p>\n

Where should you go for the most beautiful domes?<\/h4>\n

In addition to Altea<\/strong>, with its iconic Iglesia de Nuestra Se\u00f1ora del Consuelo<\/em><\/a>, you\u2019ll find impressive blue domes in places such as:<\/p>\n