An ''hórreo'' is a typical

granary A granary is a storehouse or room in a barn for threshed grain or animal feed. Ancient or primitive granaries are most often made of pottery. Granaries are often built above the ground to keep the stored food away from mice and other animals ...

from the northwest of the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...

(

Asturias Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous community in northwest Spain. It is coextensiv ...

Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...

, where it might be called a Galician granary, and Northern Portugal), built in wood or stone, raised from the ground (to keep rodents out) by pillars ( in Asturian, ''pegoyos'' in Cantabrian, in Galician, in Portuguese, in

Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...

) ending in flat

staddle stones Staddle stones (variations include steddle stones) were originally used as supporting bases for granaries, hayricks, game larders, etc. The staddle stones lifted the granaries above the ground thereby protecting the stored grain from vermin and wa ...

(''vira-ratos'' in Galician, ''mueles'' or ''tornarratos'' in Asturian, or ''zubiluzea'' in Basque) to prevent access by

rodent Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are n ...

s. Ventilation is allowed by the slits in its walls.

Names

In some areas, ''hórreos'' are known as ''horriu'', ( Asturian), ( Leonese), ( Cantabrian), ''hórreo'', ''paneira'', ''canastro'', ''piorno'', ''cabazo'' ( Galician), , , , ( Portuguese), , , (

Distribution

Cantiga de Santa Maria CLXXXVI - Horreos

''Hórreos'' are mainly found in the Northwest of Spain (

and

) and Northern Portugal. There are two main types of ''hórreo'',

rectangular In Euclidean plane geometry, a rectangle is a quadrilateral with four right angles. It can also be defined as: an equiangular quadrilateral, since equiangular means that all of its angles are equal (360°/4 = 90°); or a parallelogram containin ...

-shaped, the more extended, usually found in Galicia and coastal areas of Asturias; and

square In Euclidean geometry, a square is a regular quadrilateral, which means that it has four equal sides and four equal angles (90- degree angles, π/2 radian angles, or right angles). It can also be defined as a rectangle with two equal-length a ...

-shaped ''hórreos'' from

, León, western

Cantabria Cantabria (, also , , Cantabrian: ) is an autonomous community in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is called a ''comunidad histórica'', a historic community, in its current Statute of Autonomy. It is bordered on the east ...

and eastern

Origins

The oldest document containing an image of an ''hórreo'' is the ''

Cantigas de Santa Maria The ''Cantigas de Santa Maria'' (, ; "Canticles of Holy Mary") are 420 poems with musical notation, written in the medieval Galician-Portuguese language during the reign of Alfonso X of Castile ''El Sabio'' (1221–1284). Traditionally, they a ...

'' by Alfonso X "El Sabio" (song CLXXXVII) from the 13th century. In this depiction, three rectangular ''hórreos'' of gothic style are illustrated.Hórreo: granary (Spain), in ''Encyclopedia of Vernacular Architecture of the World'' (Paul Oliver ed.), Vol. 1, Theories and Principles, pp. 713-714: "Not until the 13th century, in the 'Cantigas' of Alfonso X, was there confirmation of buildings that were morphologically similar to the basic Galician hórreos."

Types

There are several types of Asturian ''hórreo'', according to the characteristics of the roof (

thatched Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge (''Cladium mariscus''), rushes, heather, or palm branches, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. Since the bulk of ...

tile Tiles are usually thin, square or rectangular coverings manufactured from hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, baked clay, or even glass. They are generally fixed in place in an array to cover roofs, floors, walls, edges, or ...

d, slate, pitched or double pitched), the materials used for the pillars or the decoration. The oldest still standing date from the 15th century, and even nowadays they are built ex novo. There are an estimated 18,000 ''hórreos'' and ''paneras'' in Asturias, some are poorly preserved but there is a growing awareness from owners and authorities to maintain them in good shape. The longest ''hórreo'' in Galicia is located in

Carnota Carnota is a municipality of northwestern Spain in the province of A Coruña, autonomous community of Galicia. It belongs to the comarca of Muros. It has an area of 66.4 km2, a population of 5,285 (2004 estimate) and a population density ...

A Coruña A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and ...

, and is 35 m long. Other similar granary structures include Asturian ''paneras'' (basically, big ''hórreos'' with more than four pillars), ''cabaceiras'' (Galician round basketwork ''hórreo''), ''trojes'' or in Castile or silos. File:Horrero.JPG, A Galician '' hórreo''. File:Carnota 084.JPG, ''Hórreo'' of

, Galicia. File:Horreo en Cosgaya, Cantabria.jpg, ''Hórreo'' from

Cosgaya Cosgaya is a Spanish town in the municipality of Camaleño, situated in the comarca of Liébana, located in the furthermost area to the west of Cantabria. The town lies on the right bank of the Deva River. In 2006 it had a population of 47 (INE I ...

, Cantabria. File:Hórreo tipo asturiano, O Piornedo.jpg, ''Hórreo'' from Piornedo, Galicia. File:Hórreo da reitoral de Bealo, Boiro.jpg, Corn cobs inside an ''hórreo'',

Boiro Boiro is a municipality in the province of A Coruña in the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain. It is located in the comarca of Barbanza. Boiro has an area of 86.58 km2. Boiro was where the controversial assisted suicide o ...

, Galicia. File:Horreodefonseca.jpg, ''Hórreo'' from Siero, Asturias. File:Pegollo horreo eiros.jpg, Stone pillar (''pegollo'') standing on a footing stone (''pilpayo'') and capped with a staddle stone (''muela''). Image:Staddle stones, Somerset Rural Life Museum.jpg, Building sitting on staddle stones, at the

Somerset Rural Life Museum The Somerset Rural Life Museum is situated in Glastonbury, Somerset, UK. It is a museum of the social and agricultural history of Somerset, housed in buildings surrounding a 14th-century barn once belonging to Glastonbury Abbey. It was used fo ...

, similar to Iberian hórreos. File:Hórreo Ortoño.jpg, Decorated granary in Ames. File:Hórreo e prensa para facer sidra. Pazo da Hermida. Dodro.jpg, Brick granary in

Dodro Dodro is a municipality of northwestern Spain in the province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia. It is located along with lower reaches and at the mouth of the Ulla river, which is a continuation of the Ría de Arosa A ...

. File:Hórreos de Combarro.jpg, Granary set in . File:Soajo - Espigueiros.JPG, Stone granary in Portuguese . File:Hórreo de Carnota.jpg, Alvenary granary over pillars in . File:Horreo de Lira, Carnota.jpg, Alvenary granary over pillars and slab in . File:Hórreo do Araño.jpg, Alvenary granary over barn in

Rianxo Rianxo is a port town and municipality in the autonomous community of Galicia in northwestern Spain in the province of A Coruña. It has a population of a little over 15,000 and its two main industries are fishing and tourism. The town's yearly c ...

. File:Oroso hórreo.jpg, Mixed granary over masonry strains in

Oroso Oroso is a municipality of northwestern Spain in the province of A Coruña, in the autonomous community of Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia ...

. File:Ponteulla Vedra Galicia 12.jpg, Wooden granary over masonry strains in Vedra.

Hórreo-like granaries in Europe

Similar granaries were common throughout

Atlantic Europe Atlantic Europe is a geographical term for the western portion of Europe which borders the Atlantic Ocean. The term may refer to the idea of Atlantic Europe as a cultural unit and/or as a biogeographical region. It comprises the Atlantic Isles ...

: Northwest Iberian Peninsula,

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

, the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isl ...

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and S ...

. There are ''espigueiros'' or ''canastros'' in northern

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of th ...

(the most famous concentration is located in Soajo). French

Savoy Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Sa ...

has its ''regard'', also encountered in the Swiss

Valais Valais ( , , ; frp, Valês; german: Wallis ), more formally the Canton of Valais,; german: Kanton Wallis; in other official Swiss languages outside Valais: it, (Canton) Vallese ; rm, (Chantun) Vallais. is one of the 26 cantons forming the S ...

(''

raccard Raccards are traditional granaries that can be found in parts of the Minho, north of Portugal (called Espigueiro), in Galicia and Asturias, north-west of Spain, Swiss Alps (usually in Valais) and in the Italian Alps (in the Lys Valley and i ...

'') and the Italian

Aosta Valley , Valdostan or Valdotainian it, Valdostano (man) it, Valdostana (woman)french: Valdôtain (man)french: Valdôtaine (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = Official languages , population_blank1 = Italian French ...

(''rascard'').

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of ...

has its ''stabbur'',

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...

its ''härbre'' or more precisely ''stolphärbre'' or . ''

Hambar A hambar Aromanian: ''ambare'', Bulgarian: ''хамбар (hambar)'' Danube Swabian German: ''hambar'', Hungarian: ''hombár'', Romanian: ''hambar'' or ''pătul'', Russian: ''амбар (ambar)'', Serbian: ''ambar/амбар'' or ''čardak/� ...

s'' are found in the Balkans, and ''serender'' in northern

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...

. Similar buildings (

barn A barn is an agricultural building usually on farms and used for various purposes. In North America, a barn refers to structures that house livestock, including cattle and horses, as well as equipment and fodder, and often grain.Alle ...

s) on staddle stones are found in Southern England. File:Soajo - Espigueiros.JPG, ''Espigueiros'' from

Arcos de Valdevez Arcos de Valdevez () is a municipality along the northern frontier of Portugal and Galicia (Spain). The population in 2011 was 22,847,Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of th ...

File:Raccard.JPG, ''

Raccard Raccards are traditional granaries that can be found in parts of the Minho, north of Portugal (called Espigueiro), in Galicia and Asturias, north-west of Spain, Swiss Alps (usually in Valais) and in the Italian Alps (in the Lys Valley and i ...

s'' in

, Switzerland File:Bautahaugen Samlinger, Bergsrud.jpg, ''Stabbur'' originally from Bergsrud in

Sør-Aurdal Sør-Aurdal is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Valdres. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Bagn. Other villages in the municipality include Begna, Hedalen, a ...

later relocated to the Bautahaugen Samlinger Image:Ambar 1.jpg, Ambar from 1888 in Banovci,

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = " Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capi ...

during winter Image:Ambar 2.jpg, Ambar from 1888 in Banovci,

Croatia , image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg , anthem = " Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland") , image_map = , map_caption = , capi ...

during summer

References

External links

Hórreo de CarnotaAsturian HórreoGalician hórreos
* :es:Archivo:Santa fe navarra horreo jpg
Nice collection of images of horreos.Large collection of images of staddle stones/pillars
{{DEFAULTSORT:Horreo Buildings and structures in Asturias Buildings and structures in Galicia (Spain) Buildings and structures in Cantabria Architecture in Spain Granaries Food storage