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Life Behind Bars
And thoroughly grilled
“Why do so many houses in Puerto Rico have bars on their doors and windows? Is it dangerous here?” I must have asked this question or one like it when I first arrived on the island, many years ago. These are some of the answers I remember:
“Not more dangerous than any other place.”
“Grillwork is a custom brought from Spain by early colonists.”
“It gives us a sense of security.”
“It adds living space to the house.”
“It makes a house safer in a storm.”
“It can be beautiful.”
I believe another reason is that rejas, the word for grillwork in Spanish, are an expression of the homeowner’s individuality and the ironmonger's skill. I visited two nearby neighborhoods today with my camera to test my theory.
Some rejas follow a similar general pattern, but others are unique. Although many single-family homes have replaced rejas with modern security…
