Text and photos by Tor Eigeland

CONE-like, square, prismatic, round, tall, squat, rectangular, balloon-shaped, pyramidal, plain, elaborate, beautiful, colourful, or just plain odd ¿ all these descriptions fit a variety of chimneys the architects call the Chaminé algarvia .

If there is one thing that characterises Portugal's southern, sunny Algarve, it is an immense variety of spectacular chimneys ¿ mostly white chimneys on white houses. If they have anything at all in common, it is that many remind you of minarets, even miniature mosques.

They are unique, eye-catching. During several visits to the area I became increasingly fascinated with them. And even more so because nobody I asked seemed to know much about them or their origin. Ordinary folk would say, with a shrug: "Perhaps they came from the Arabs", or "The Moors started them", or "I don't know."

Being rather a fan of the Moorish history and culture I became intrigued and started to check with some historians and architects in Portugal as well as Spain ¿ even inquired as to whether the Moors used chimneys at all. The Moors were the Arabs and Berbers who invaded from North Africa and beyond and ended up dominating Spain and Portugal for a mere 800 years. Two architects told me 'definitely not' they didn't have chimneys ¿ and an historian said 'perhaps'.

Books I scanned about Islamic architecture in Spain from Moorish times (from the year 711 to the beginning of the 1500s) only dealt with monumental architecture. Nobody mentions whether people used chimneys for their well documented sophisticated kitchens and elaborate baths. In the course of some entertaining reading I even found appetising Moorish recipes that were eight hundred years old.

In order to find straight answers and enjoy some Iberian sunshine I flew to Portugal to discover more about this unique symbol of the Algarve. The first port of call was Lisbon where I spoke to Filipe Jorge, a Portuguese architect who has been working on a book about Algarve chimneys for years.

For more than 300 years, according to Filipe Jorge, the Algarve type chimneys have been constructed, not only in the Algarve, but also in Spain's Andalusia. The oldest chimneys, according to Jorge, date back to late 17th century and the beginning of the 18th.

"Did the Moors who had inhabited the region previously have chimneys?" I asked Filipe Jorge, the expert. He hesitated, hummed and hawed for a moment. Then: "Mostly their architecture doesn't have chimneys. But curiously when they build chimneys here they copy things like minarets. Obviously there is some kind of an Arab influence."

He philosophises: "History is quite nebulous, isn't it? I have talked to many historians. Nobody has a solid opinion about the chimneys."

Filipe gets more specific: "It is the way they do these houses ¿ all white ¿ that lies behind it. They are all more or less the same. The chimneys are what make a difference between the houses. It is what expresses the owner's personality."

Besides at times being minaret-like, the chimneys are often topped with Far Eastern motifs, evidence of Portugal's long-time involvement in China, Macao and Goa. A more recent invention, multicolored weather-vane roosters, swivels on many Algarve chimneys.

After stopping in Lisbon I flew south to Faro, the Algarve's capital city, and then carried on by car inland to a country inn outside Estoi, still in hot pursuit of the Chaminé algarvia.

It was completely dark by then and I expected to see no more chimneys that day. Not so. Lining the driveway to the Monte do Casal Inn where I was to stay dozens of lanterns in the shape of chimneys lit the night. The lamps in my room, fitted with Phillips long-life bulbs ¿ were in the shape of ¿ well you guessed it! ´

The interior of the Algarve in August is just like North Africa. The light is blinding white, and it gets hot.

Struggling to survive alongside desert-type scrub and cacti are olive, carob, fig, citrus and almond trees, grapevines and pomegranate plants. All these plants need very little water ¿ and they were all favorites of the Moors. The citrus, almonds and the pomegranate trees were imported by them from North Africa.

Farmhouses I passed during my search were mostly small, plain, almost without windows, but brilliantly whitewashed and with plenty of chimneys, always chimneys and often many in different styles all perched on the same house.

Why so many for one home I asked a farmer while admiring his multiple chimneys. "One," he explained proudly, "is for the 'stove house' above the kitchen where we eat. Another is above the main kitchen which is only used for parties or visitors. Another two are for beauty."

"What is the origin?" I always asked the same question. And I always got the reply reported at the beginning of this story: "They probably came from the Moors."

"It still is an unexplored theme," said Filipe Jorge when, after my fascinating and highly pleasurable trip, I tried to extract some more definite information about these extraordinary, omnipresent chimneys. "So far there is no finish to this story ¿ they are sort of lost in time."

He sighed: "But we Portuguese are quite calm about this. We are in no hurry to find the end of the story."

By now I was starting to think there was no real will to solve this as they loved the research for its own sake.

So make chimneys of the Algarve a great excuse to visit that marvellous part of the world.

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If you have any comments or feedback, Tor Eigeland can be contacted at tor.eigelandwanadoo.fr