▁an ▁extensive ▁view ▁of ▁the ▁scen ery ▁( B lo om ▁and ▁Bla ir ). ▁However , ▁Mo or ish ▁styles ▁became ▁less ▁popular ▁when ▁modern ▁styles ▁were ▁adopted ▁in ▁Lima . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁features ▁of ▁the ▁bal con ies ▁are ▁the ▁lattice , ▁still ▁and ▁bal uster . ▁The ▁wooden ▁bal con ies ▁project ing ▁at ▁upper ▁levels ▁also ▁allow ▁for ▁priv acy ▁and ▁air ▁circul ation , ▁an ▁essential ▁feature ▁for ▁buildings ▁in ▁war mer ▁countries . ▁Non - r ounded ▁bal con ies ▁were ▁introduced ▁in ▁Spain ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century . ▁Bal con ies ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 5 th ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century ▁are ▁noted ▁for ▁their ▁open ness , ▁while ▁bal con ies ▁built ▁after ▁that ▁period ▁are ▁more ▁closed . ▁Se v ill an ▁az ule jos ▁and ▁m osa ics ▁are ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁bal con ies . ▁ ▁Social ▁function ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century , ▁vic ero ys ▁would ▁stand ▁on ▁the ▁bal con ies ▁to ▁address ▁the ▁colon ists . ▁In ▁churches , ▁the ▁bal con ies ▁also ▁provided ▁abb esses ▁the ▁chance ▁to ▁observe ▁Mass ▁while ▁avoid ▁being ▁seen . ▁ ▁Bal con ies ▁merge ▁the ▁interior ▁and ▁exterior ▁spaces ▁of ▁a ▁city , ▁a ▁feature ▁borrow ed ▁from ▁Islam ic ▁architecture . ▁The ▁bal con ies ▁in ▁Lima ▁have ▁been ▁compared ▁to ▁" stre ets ▁in ▁the ▁sky " ▁and ▁they ▁function ▁as ▁a