Courtyard Rain

The glistening stone structures surrounding this inner sanctuary stand as tall and proud today as they did a hundred years ago. The water winding its way down doors and windows may sometimes slip into the soft interior, wetting a windowsill or a persian rug, but rest assured that the serenity of this courtyard has beeen broken by no act of nature or God that has yet come to pass. Courtyards—private open spaces surrounded by walls or buildings—have been in use in residential architecture for almost as long as people have lived in constructed dwellings. The earliest known courtyard houses were built in Iran and China and date as far back as 3000 BC. Courtyards have historically been used for many purposes including cooking, sleeping, working, playing, gardening, and even places to keep animals. Before courtyards, open fires were kept burning in a central place within a home, with only a small hole in the ceiling overhead to allow smoke to escape. Over time, these small openings were enlarged and eventually led to the development of the centralized open courtyard we know today. Courtyard homes are perhaps more prevalent in temperate climates, as an open central court can be an important aid to cooling house in warm weather. However, courtyard houses have been found in harsher climates as well for centuries. The comforts offered by a courtyard—air, light, privacy, security, and tranquility—are properties nearly universally desired in human housing. This sound uses the following file from Freesound: http://www.freesound.org/samplesViewSingle.php?id=118790