Portuguese pavement, known in Portuguese as calçada portuguesa or simply calçada, is a traditional-style pavement used for many pedestrian areas in Portugal. It consists of small pieces of stone arranged in a pattern or image, like a mosaic. It can also be found in Olivença and throughout former Portuguese colonies, especially in Brazil. Portuguese workers are also hired for their skill in creating these pavements in places such as Gibraltar. Being usually used in sidewalks, it is in town squares and atriums that this art finds its deepest expression.
Portuguese pavement: image of the seal of the University of Coimbra, in Portugal, featuring Wisdom
Some styles of Portuguese pavement are: irregular pavements, thought to be the oldest style crushed pavement, similar but with more spaces between the stones classic style, with one primary diagonal and one secondary, both at 45 degrees to the adjoining kerb and/or wall. linear pavement, with stones aligned in parallel files circular pavement hexagonal pavement artistic pavement, with specific forms and/or highly contrasting stones large wavy pattern
Portuguese pavement in Paulista Avenue, São Paulo in 2008. This section has since been replaced with concrete sidewalks. Traditional Portuguese pavement has gradually been retired from the city's landscape under urban reforms.
1. Preparation of stones
A paver is a paving stone, tile, brick or brick-like piece of concrete commonly used as exterior flooring. They are generally placed on top of a foundation which is made of layers of compacted stone and sand. The pavers are placed in the desired pattern and the space between pavers is then filled with a polymeric sand. No actual adhesive or retaining method is used other than the weight of the paver itself except edging. Pavers can be used to make roads, driveways, patios, walkways and other outdoor platforms.
Concrete paver blocks laid in a circular pattern
Concrete paver blocks in a rectangular pattern
Interlocking concrete paver driveway
Roman stone pavement in Herculaneum
