When I was researching information on the Carmo Convent located in Lisbon, I found many articles describing it as “charming ruins”. I loved that I finally got to visit such a beautiful place, but didn’t find it “charming”. I’m not saying this as an offense, I’m just saying that “charming” is not the adjective I would use to describe it. Interesting, certainly. Impressive, yes! Surprising? Definitively. Just not charming.
This got me to wonder: what makes a place gain the “charming” attribute?
Why are some places considered charming? What do they have in common? So here are a few of the criteria I’ve identified. I’ve added a couple links and pictures to give examples!
To be charming a place has to be old…
To be charming, generally the place has to be old, century old. Time gives it some unknown meaning. It becomes somehow an ethereal and unique witness of the passing of time, of history, of the uncountable number of people who have admired it before.
Cathedrals, churches & castles, which centuries of decay have left in ruins, are considered today as “charming”. It is quite ironic when you think about it because there is nothing about recent decay, that we find charming. We are overly obsessed by home renovations but when decay is century old, it somehow becomes charming!
It doesn’t seems to matter if such decay comes from the most devastating events of humans’ history. The worst earthquakes like in Lisbon or the worst wars.
… but it must also have aged well!
It has to be somehow damaged or at least showing traces of time. However, there is a right amount of decay required to be charming. If it looks too clean or too new, the perception of time vanishes and the charming factor decreases. If it has become a pile of ruble, the charming factor gets close to 0. A place has to remain understandable to most, to be considered charming.
It has to be beautiful…
To be considered charming, a place has to be beautiful. Beauty depends of taste but some other criteria like symmetry & proportion (yes we are still talking about buildings!) are universally accepted as criteria impacting the perception of beauty. It doesn’t mean the whole place has to be symmetric and well proportion. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Most charming places, have in common to have intricate layouts. The beauty lies in the symmetry and proportion within the entanglement.
… and small
Size matters and to be charming, a place usually has to be small. At least it has to feel small, with small winding road, small houses, small hidden passages… There is just nothing charming about being grandiose!
It should have some vegetation
There usually has to be some vegetation mixed with the original structure. It helps face your own fragility when you see that a tree has managed to grown in the middle of the strongest tower of all.
The 19th century romantic architects had understood that, perfectly. The best example of this I could find was in Sintra and especially the Quinta da Regaleira Palace.
But nothing modern
There should however be no modern addition to the place. Or at least as few as possible. The mix of old and modern isn’t charming, it’s cutting edge!
Legends, treasure or ghosts are required
Within its decay, to be charming, a place has to hide some sort of treasure, or at least some myths and legends. Maybe a ghost or 2. Generally part of it has to remain a mystery.
Colors should be mixed carefully
A charming place usually has a specific color theme. It can be either monochromatic, with one dominant color or with every color of the rainbow. In all cases, there has to be a uniformity in its color palette. You can’t really have part of it monochromatic and the other part green and red.
You can see this in the Talasnal village or in the Saint Emilion little town shown above. You can also think of the white and blue villages of Greece. Some US or German towns are a lot more colorful than the example below, but if you look carefully there is still some uniformity, a dominant theme.
An impressive landscape background is a nice addition
An impressive background is not absolutely required but it is a nice addition. At least it should have a nice picturesque view.
It should be slightly remote & off the beaten path
Nowadays that everyone and anyone is a World explorer, we all want to be the one to have found a little gem, off the beaten paths. Me included!
There must a bit of romance in the air!
When a place is romantic, you just feel it! Maybe it’s because of the quietness, maybe because there are little hidden corner where couples hide. Maybe it’s just beauty and serenity.
I didn’t remember but I had already tried to define what is romantic in a city, in the below piece about Florence. I’m not convinced anymore by the river requirement although it still makes sense!
It should be different
Probably the most important thing is that there isn’t just one recipe for charm! I’ve tried to give some criteria to something that totally subjective.
What is charming to one person doesn’t necessarily is, to another.
It’s a matter of taste. To be charming a place has to be different than what you are used to. You can live in the most charming village of France and find it just plain boring. Yet, the same village will be the most charming of all, if you live in a big city, especially if located on the other side of the Earth.
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Let me know what you think and add your criteria in the comments!
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I have wondered this as well. Thanks for your thoughtful and charming research.
Thanks! it was fun to write!