| Acequia |
Man-made irrigation ditch. |
| Adobe |
Mud brick that is dried in the sun. The first adobe bricks were used 8,500 years ago in the Middle East. |
| Alameda |
A tree-shaded promenade or public park. Spanish for "cottonwood tree". |
| Arroyo |
Dry riverbed that occasionally fills with water from rains and run-off. |
| Aspen |
High-elevation deciduous tree with leaves that turn a brilliant gold in the fall. |
| Banco |
A bench made of adobe and covered with plaster. |
| Bienvenidos |
"Welcome" in Spanish. |
| Bosque |
Low-lying area near a river densely forested with cottonwoods and other deciduous trees. |
| Calle |
"Street" in Spanish. |
| Camino |
"Road" in Spanish. |
| Canale |
A roof spout that carries water off of a flat pueblo roof. |
| Casa |
“House” or “home” in Spanish. |
| Chamiso |
An evergreen shrub in the rose family that turns a golden color in the fall. |
| Coping |
Decorative detail on the top edge of a building and around doors and windows. |
| Corbel |
Short sculpted beam lying on top of a post or a wall. |
| Coved Ceiling |
A ceiling in which the part next to the wall is constructed in a cove. |
| Cuesta |
A ridge with a gentle slope on one side and a cliff on the other. |
| Escarpment Ordinances |
Laws in the Santa Fe area prohibiting building and excavation of mountainsides beyond a certain steepness. |
| Faralito |
“Little Lantern” in Spanish. Typically a paper bag with a sand ballast and candle lit for Christmas. |
| Fiesta |
An elaborate party, often outdoors. |
| Flagstone |
Flat sheets of stone mined locally, used for flooring in homes and patios. |
| Historic Style Ordinances |
Regulations governing the architectural style of all buildings within the Historic District of Downtown Santa Fe. |
| Horno |
Freestanding adobe bread oven found at most pueblos and Indian homes. |
| Juniper Tree |
High desert evergreen that seldom grows more than 15 feet tall. |
| Kiva |
Traditional round, flat-roofed religious chamber found in Indian pueblos. |
| Kiva fireplace |
A small beehive shaped fireplace. |
| La Fonda |
“The Hotel” in Spanish. |
| La Posada |
“The Inn” in Spanish. |
| Latillas |
Small branches used as ceiling planking, made of aspen, pine or cedar. |
| Lintel |
Wooden beam bridging window or door openings. |
| Mesa |
Flat top mountain called “a table” in Spanish. |
| Nicho |
Small shelf carved into a wall. |
| Paraje |
“Place” in Spanish. |
| Parapet |
A low wall extending above the roof line in Pueblo style architecture. |
| Paseo |
Passage or walkway or “to Promenade” in Spanish. |
| Pinon Tree |
High-desert nut-bearing evergreen tree. |
| Plaza |
Public square in the center of town. The site of traditional evening paseo or “promenade”. |
| Portal |
Patio attached to a home, covered with a fixed roof supported by posts. |
| Puerta |
“Door” in Spanish. |
| Ristra |
A string of drying red chilies. |
| Saltillo Tile |
Simple fired earthen tile made in Saltillo, Mexico. |
| Stucco |
Final cement color coat plastered on the exterior of an adobe-style building. |
| Talavera Tile |
Colorful hand-decorated Mexican tile used for countertops and trim. |
| Ventana |
“Window” in Spanish. |
| Vigas |
Round logs used as ceiling beams. |
