Throughout
the entire Galician region, there are a myriad of styles of hórreos. They are typified defending on
the form taken by the various components and materials used in construction.
The particular combination of these two variables is generally related to the
geographical area in which they are located. However, the distribution areas
have imprecise limits and may overlap. Therefore, the different varieties of hórreo typological classification do not
always have a clear correspondence with the regions.
The
following classification of types of granary is that used by Ignacio Martinez
Rodriguez in his El Hórreo Gallego:
Estudio Geografico (1975). It is sorted by the localities, given their
defining characteristics. However, before breaking down architectural types by
their locality, this typology first sorts them according to the building
materials.
The
materials used in the construction
of hórreos can be sticks, wood,
stone, or mixed. The choice depends on the grain to be stored (because not only
corn is stored, but also wheat, rye, etc.), the climate of the area, the amount
of grain, the fancy of the builder, and the economic means available.
In
classifying hórreos according to the
construction material, there are two basic types: stone and wood. Mixed versions are numerous and differ
in the proportion in which the two materials are used and in which parts. The
use of one material or another is determined by the nature of the predominant
rocky outcroppings in the area. Most of the surface of Galicia corresponds to
mixed types, which occupy overlapping areas. Predominant types with less use of
stone are in the northern and eastern parts of the province of A Coruña and in
that of Lugo. The use of stone increases to the west and south, to arrive at
the prevalence of stone in the provinces of Ourense and Pontevedra, especially
the latter, where there are areas with exclusively stone hórreos. The areas of predominance of stone and wood correspond to
the two geological zones of Galician granite and Galician slate (or schist).
Even
those called hórreos de madeira
[wood] usually have bases made of stone. The ones called hórreo de piedra [stone] may at least have the door made of wood.
Those called hórreo mixto [mixed]
seem to have stone elements around the wood parts of the chamber, in addition
to a stone base.
For
terminology for the components used
in construction of various types of hórreo,
the reader may need to refer to Appendix B of this blog.
PRIMITIVE TYPES
The
most primitive types of hórreos are
small, lightweight, and sometimes portable granaries made of plant materials
(sticks and straw). These are commonly called hórreo de corres (aka hórreo
de varas) [granary of branches, sticks, or rods]. In some areas, this type
is called a cabazo, cabaceiro, or cabaceira. It is similar to an hórreo,
but may be used for storing fruit, as well as corn. It is also used to
supplement the hórreo in years of
abundant harvests.
In Galego, corre (or its variant core)
means a twisted green rod that is used to bind anything; a flexible branch;
wicker. Also in Galego, vara means a
long, thin, smooth rod or stick. In Spanish, vara is a pole, rod, or staff.
The
hórreo
de varas (aka hórreo de corres)
is found with great diversity on the slopes of the mountains of Faro and
Farelo, between the rivers Ulla and Miño (Minho). This was the most primitive
forerunner of the current hórreo of
the Galician-Portuguese type. However, the differences between this and the
Galician hórreo are so substantial
that they must be considered different types. The chamber of this primitive
type typically takes the form of a truncated cone-shaped basket. However, there
are also examples in rectangular form. Thus, the rectangular chamber of the
Galician hórreo is probably the
result of the elongation of the basket of sticks that forms the body of the hórreo de corres.
Leboreiro:
round granary (hórreo de varas or cabazo) with sides of interwoven
branches, small door at bottom, and thatched roof, on stone pedestal with stone
slab as tornarratos (Don Madill -
Sunday, September 21, 2014, 11:52 AM).
The
hórreo de varas or de corres has similarities to other
granaries in the Mediterranean region (where the people were gatherers). Its
introduction is attributed to people in Galicia of pre-Celtic origin and
Mediterranean culture, known by the name oestriminis.
Oestriminis (meaning from “far west”)
is a name given in antiquity to the inhabitants of the territory that is now
Portugal and Galicia; the name is comparable to Finisterre (the “end of the
earth”), from a Mediterranean perspective. However, other scholars propose a suevo (Swabian) origin of the hórreo with a rectangular chamber, which
would complement the previously existing hórreos
de varas. This thesis is based on the match between the area in which
Galician hórreos are found with the
borders of the Swabian Kingdom of Galicia, since a Swabian urn found in Germany
pictures a granary on feet and, finally, on the pertinence of the hórreo to the agricultural complex
established by the Swabians.
It
is a peculiar basket-like round granary, made of interwoven branches. It always
has a thatched roof. It is separated from the ground by thick feet/legs of
stone (or less commonly wood) or by a stone pedestal. This support is topped by
a slab of stone that serves as tornarratos [rat-repeller],
to prevent rodents from entering the chamber. The feet/legs or pedestal also
protect against rodents, as well as insulating against moisture.
Cabazo in Orosa, Palas de Rei
(gl.wikipedia.org).
The
word cabazo
and its variants (cabozo, cabaceiro, and cabaceira) come from the term cabaza
[Galego for pumpkin, squash, or gourd], a fruit that is often left to dry on tornarratos, plates located between
pillars and a granary that aim to prevent access of small rodents into its
interior. According to other experts, the name comes from the pre-Roman calapaccia, meaning “covered by a
shell,” likely referring to the shape of its roof of vegetation. Another
explanation relates the word cabazo
to the Latin capio, capere, used to designate containers and
utensils of capacity. The term cabazo
is used primarily for a granary of sticks (hórreo
de corres or hórreo de varas);
however, because of the functional similarity, it is used in some areas of
Galicia for the Galician hórreo.
The
cabazo or hórreo de corres is formed by a body of walls of caínzo [woven sticks] and covered by a
small roof of xesta [broom] or colmo [thatched] called corucho [cap of straw]. This body of
woven sticks is supported by a wooden grid or frame resting on four legs of
wood or stone. The floor is of wooden boards. Fitted into the grid are thick twigs
that are woven, with thinner ones toward the top, giving it the rounded shape
of an inverted truncated cone. The resulting body has a small, vertically
sliding door at the bottom. The most elaborate ones have a narrow rectangular
shape and vertical walls, with a narrow access door on the shorter side, which
results from a later adaptation of a circular type in imitation of the form of
the Galician hórreo. These baskets
are covered with a roof of flat strands, whether the granary is rectangular,
conical, or circular. At harvest time, the roof is removed to fill it from the
top. The larger ones, to avoid removing the roof, have a larger door higher
than the small door at the bottom.
A
cabaceiro
is a small granary made of sticks and covered with straw or broom. It could be
bell-shaped, conical, or cylindrical. It serves like the hórreos, to preserve and cure corn on the cob, but it could be used
to conserve other products, one of which could be cabazas [pumpkins, squashes, or gourds], which give it its name. A cabaceiro that is prolonged horizontally
is called a cabaceira. A cabaceira
(in Galego) is a vine that produced squashes or pumpkins. In some parts, granaries
of this type are also called cabazos.
In
many regions of Galicia, the term cabaceiros
is used exclusively for those cabaceiras
that are interwoven with branches of chestnut, oak, or willow whose shape is
round, oblong or prolonged; in others, it is indistinguishable from the name of
cabaceiros, applying to all varieties
of outdoor granaries, even hórreos; in
others, cabazos are only made of sticks
and round in shape or circular, which are also called canastros [baskets]; and in others the name of hórreos is received only by those formed from stone or wood, with
convenient gaps for air to circulate the interior to facilitate the airing of
the grain. There are cabaceiros of
one to four sections, depending on the amount of corn to be contained, with its
provision of tables for the separation of the interior; and those with roofs covered
with wheat or rye straw (thatched) or common tile on wood ribs, in a spiral
pyramid.
WOODEN TYPES
The
wooden variant is the oldest, possibly of Sueve (Swabian) origin. The best
examples are found near Ourense and in the areas of Betanzos and Salnés. Even
those called hórreos de madeira
[wood] usually have bases made of stone.
Wooden hórreo on transverse walls of stonework in Vedra (gl.wikipedia.org). Vedra is in the Galician province of A Coruña.
Wooden hórreo on columns of granite in Allariz (ca.wikipedia.org or
gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo
of Mariñan Type
The
hórreo of the Mariñan type is found
in the historic region of Mariñas Coruñesas and roughly coincides with the
basins of the rivers Barcés, Mero, Mandeo, and Mendo (in the province of A
Coruña). It is the only type of hórreo
that is in most of this area, but starts to be mixed with other types on the
periphery of the region.
Hórreo of Mariñan type in Oza-Cesuras
(Mandaio-Cesuras), Galicia (gl.wikipedia.org).
It
is usually small. Its chamber is narrow and high, typically with dimensions of
approximately 1.1 x 1.80 m. In those cases in which its capacity is increased,
this is achieved by elongation and using an aisle. The support is usually high
enough to accommodate minor subsidiary functions in the space below (storing
firewood, henhouse, etc.). However, the lower space is never enclosed with
masonry.
Hórreo
of Mariñan type in Betanzos (gl.wikipedia.org Cropped).
Hórreo
of Mariñan type in Betanzos (corunadn.es). The Coruña Daily News web site corunadn.es
has photo that looks like same hórreo
identifying it as one of the Mariñan type in the town of Betanzos,
documented in 1790 and believed to have been built before that year; all parts
are the original chestnut wood, and it has always been brown.
The
chamber is supported on cepas
[transverse walls] of dry masonry, plastered and whitewashed. The cepas are topped with tornarratos that are of shale, large and
rectangular. When the hórreo is
located on a slope in uneven terrain, the cepas
adapt to the unevenness, with one higher than the other. Frequently, and when
the lack of space forces it, it is seen on the walls of the eira [threshing floor, yard, or garden
plot], forming the lumieria [top] of
the gateway of access to it, on the roofs of houses, or even perched on a
street corner.
Hórreo of Mariñan
type, this one an hórreo en esquina
[on corner] - O Tarabelo, Santa María de Sada, Sada (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo of
Mariñan type, this one an hórreo en
esquina [on corner] - in O Tarabelo, Santa María de Sada, Sada
(gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo of
Mariñan type, this one an hórreo en
esquina [on corner] - in O Tarabelo, Santa María de Sada, Sada
(gl.wikipedia.org).
The
base structure of the hórreo is a
frame of wood called grade [grid].
Comprising four thick beams, two longitudinal ones called largueiros or mesas
[tables] and two transverse ones called cabezas
[heads], which are joined by pins. Over these are fixed the wooden staves of the sides and the corners that
support the roof. The floor, called sollado
[cockpit] or lastra [slab, flagstone],
is made of crosspieces that rest on the tables.
The wooden staves that make up the walls of the
chamber (on all four sides) are almost always vertical. The gabled roof
consists of curved ceramic tile with small overhang (eaves), which is supported
by two longitudinal beams joined by tixeiras
[scissors] or burras [donkeys?] and
by corvas [hamstrings?] in the pinches, and which rests on corners. The
chamber normally has a single door in the center of one side and has no
terminals (finials), except on the most elaborate ones.
Hórreo
of Pajar (Palleira) or Piorno Type
Pajar is Spanish for
haystack (palleira is probably the
Galego equivalent), or sometimes barn. Piorno
means broom (in Galego).
The
pajar (palleira) or piorno type
is peculiar to south central Galicia. The distribution area of the palleira or piorno type is a wide area bounded by a line passing through
Taboada, Chantada, and Os Peiros, connecting the bottom of the valleys of the
rivers Ulla and Limia, including the province of Pontevedra and part of those
of Ourense and Lugo. It coexists with other types of hórreo.
Hórreo of piorno type - Canasto, Province of Ourense (gl.wikipedia.org).
It
is also small, with a chamber that is wider and less high than the Mariñan
type. The chamber rests on esteos
[pillars] of stone with individual tornarratos.
All four sides of the chamber are made of vertical wooden staves, often
connected by a horizontal strip. The gabled roof is covered with tiles; it has
with fairly large overhangs (eaves), and (with few exceptions) has no terminals
(finials). It generally has a single door, which can be on a penal [end wall] or in the center of one
side.
Hórreo probably of piorno type - Province of Ourense (gl.wikipedia.org). This one has mesa [table] type of tornarratos.
Hórreo probably of piorno type – Vilanova dos Infantes, Concello [municipality] de Celanova, Province
of Ourense (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo
of Salnés Type
The
hórreo of the Salnés type is found in
the region of Salnés, an area between the rivers Umia and Lérez, from Caldas de
Reis and even as far up as Meaño. Other sources define the region as between
the estuaries of Arousa and Pontevedra. (However, it shares this region with
other types.) In this region, hórreos
are known as piornos.
Possible hórreo of Salnés type (at right) in
group of hórreos in Combarro,
Pontevedra (www.flickr.com at https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8002/7453798954_7905c18153_b.jpg).
Possible hórreo of Salnés type (at right) in
group of hórreos in Combarro,
Pontevedra (gl.wikipedia.org).
These
are of two types: wooden and mixed (with the greatest part of granite, but with
sides and doors of wood). Nowadays, the mixed type is the most common, since
the wooden type was more subject to deterioration. The chamber is rather low,
wider, and longer than the previous types. It rests on especially low esteos paralelepipédicos [rectangular pillars]
placed closer to each other than usual, with individual tornarratos that are cylindrical with flat bottoms. The chamber
always has vertical staves and is not divided into sections horizontally, but
vertically into thirds by (horizontal) strips that run through the sides. The
roof is of tile, with gentle slopes and without terminals (finials) for
adornment. The roof forms a large overhang on all four sides. There are pinches on the penais [end walls]. The door is located in the center of a side or
slightly off-center, and no masonry staircase is needed.
The
support consists of esteos with
square cross section or assimilated. They are crowned by tornarratos of the same material. A special feature of this type of
hórreo is having the cross beams of a
grid standing out over the sides; they are of large cross section, usually
wooden but of stone in those made with more care. The sides have horizontal
strips that hold the staves in place. The roof is of curved ceramic tile over
wood.
Some
experts refer to the Salnés type as subtype of the Pontevedra type.
Hórreo
of Bergantiños (Bergantiñán) Type
The
hórreo of the Bergantiños (Bergantiñán)
type is a kind of Galician hórreo
occurring in abundance in some parts of the region of Bergantiños, in the
province of A Coruña. It has a limited area of distribution and coexists with
other types typical of neighboring areas.
Bergantiñán hórreo in province of A Coruña (gl.wikipedia.org).
The
Bergantiños type is rectangular and is one of the widest of the wooden hórreos. The sides of the chamber are
enclosed with vertical wooden staves. The chamber is wide, short, and high. It
is supported by a grid made of heavy wooden beams. That grid rests on
rectangular tornarratos that crown
strong cepas [transverse walls] of
masonry. In a few cases, the cepas
are replaced by a celeiro [barn]. The
gabled roof, covered by ceramic tiles over a layer of wood, has small overhang
(eaves). Usually it does not have decorative terminal elements (finials). The
door of the chamber is in one of the penais
[end walls]. Due to the short height of the supporting esteos, there is usually no masonry staircase, and when there is
one, it does not reach the level of the chamber.
STONE TYPES
The
stone hórreo predominates in the
western parts of the provinces of A Coruña and Pontevedra and the northern part
of Lugo, but without being exclusive. The granite in these areas has very
little cleft, which allows the use of an architrave scheme of construction that
comprises horizontal pieces of great length supported by vertical pillars. In
the north, the granite is very cleft, which does not allow it to withstand the
pressures of flexion (bending). For this reason, the hórreo is supported by transverse walls of masonry, over granite
pillars, or is all wood on masonry transverse walls.
Stone hórreo on columns and stone hearth/sill
in Pontevedra (es.wikipedia.org and gl.wikipedia.org).
The
best examples of hórreos made
exclusively of stone are found on the Atlantic coast, where stone is plentiful.
They are mostly excellent works of stone that unite strength and beauty, and
have been integrated into the landscape for many centuries.
Some (more modern) hórreos are made with hollow or perforated ceramic bricks from the start, for natural ventilation. Brick did not appear in Galicia until well into the 20th century.
Barbadelo – hórreo of perforated
bricks with construction date of 1911 on pinche
(Don Madill - Friday, September 19, 2014, 9:44 AM).
Hórreo
of Ribadeo Type
The
hórreo of the Ribadeo type is
peculiar to the littoral zone of the province of Lugo. It is found on the strip
of coast between Viveiro and Navia, encompassing Lourenzá and Vegadeo. The hórreo of the Ribadeo type is called cabazo or cabozo in that region. It coexists with other types, such as the hórreo of the Mondoñedo type, since
Mondoñedo is also in the province of Lugo. Unlike the Mondoñedo type, the Ribadeo
type is entirely of stone, except for the beams.
The
Ribadeo type is a rectangular hórreo
that is wide and large. It is also very tall, with two or three floors
including the camera [chamber]. The celeiro [barn] has dimensions equal to
or slightly greater than those of the chamber but is considerably taller,
forming a gallery around it that may be enclosed with a low balustrade. Between
the celeiro and the camera, a shale cornice acts as tornarratos. The four chamber walls have
large, rectangular vents, called furados
or bufarros, which are arranged in
horizontal rows, usually three in number. The hipped roof of slate, with small
eaves, is topped by numerous pyramidal finials with prominent tips, placed on
the vertices and edges of the roof to help keep the slate in place. Access from
the outside is via a staircase. The lower floors may have small windows for
lighting. In higher hórreos, the lower
level or celeiro (the adega [cellar]) is used to store
potatoes and other fruits, the intermediate level (paneira) for wheat and other cereals, and the uppermost (hórreo or camera) for corn cobs. It is common to find hórreos in which part of the camera
is used as a pombal [dovecote]. The
chamber walls are of uncut shale masonry, of the rock that is predominant in
the region. Sometimes the bonding is dry (without mortar), leaving cracks
between the stones to contribute to ventilation. In other cases, it may be
plastered and whitewashed, acquiring the appearance of cut masonry. Unique
pieces, such as tornarratos and the
floor of the chamber, often consist of large slabs of shale directly overlying
the perimeter walls of the celeiro.
Access to each of the chambers is by external doors located in one of the sides
and accessed by a masonry staircase.
Hórreo of Ribadeo type with pombal over paneira and celeiro, in
Viladaíde, Barreiros (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo of Ribadeo type of 2 stories with
dovecote and staircase in Foz (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo of Ribadeo type with dovecote on
part of 2nd story in Vilaronte, Foz (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo of Ribadeo type with 3 stories
and conical finials on roof, in Foz (gl.wikipedia.org).
Foz is on the northern coast of
Lugo; Vilaronte is a smaller town in the Concello [municipality] de Foz, southwest of the town
of Foz.
Hórreo
of San Pedro de Visma Type
This
type is found in a narrow zone in the concellos
of A Coruña, Arteixo, and A Laracha.
Hórreo of San Pedro de Visma type in Pastoriza,
Concello de Arteixo (gl.wikipedia.org).
It
is wide, low, and large. It is supported by a celeiro [barn] made of masonry and of size that matches the
chamber. Stone slabs protruding between the celeiro
and the chamber serve as tornarratos.
The walls of the chamber are of perpiaños
[long stone blocks] in horizontal rows, between which gaps are left open for
ventilation, either by means of the interposition of a line of stone or by
means of a recess in the upper and lower faces of the perpiaños. Over the pinches,
there are sobrepenas that top the
roof and give support to the decorative terminals (finials), when those are
present. The gabled roof is normally of curved tile.
Hórreo of San Pedro de Visma type in Pastoriza,
Concello de Arteixo (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo of San Pedro de Visma type in Pastoriza,
Concello de Arteixo (commons.wikimedia.org). This one has replaced the tile
roof with corrugated steel.
Hórreo
of Coristanco Type
The
Coristanco type is found in a small zone in the north of the province of A
Coruña, between Ponteceso and Carballo, on both banks of the río Anllóns. This
straddles the Bergantiños region and the Terra de Soneira, covering the
municipalities of Carballo, Coristanco, Zas, Ponteceso, and Malpica. The
Coristanco type coexists with the Mariñan type and types of non-traditional
masonry. It also exists in areas of transition to the Finisterre type.
Hórreo of Coristanco type in Torres do
Allo, Zas (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreos of Coristanco type in Torres do
Allo, Zas – one on celeiro and one on
esteos (gl.wikipedia.org).
The
Coristanco type is large and fairly wide. The chamber rests generally rests on
a celeiro [barn] of masonry that
often transforms into a zócolo
[socle] over or on which rest very short esteos.
When not on a celeiro, it rests on
low esteos [pillars], usually
circular; this is more common in areas of transition to the Finisterre type. The
chamber totally of stone, made of horizontal perpiaños [long stone blocks] of limited height separated by gaps
that allow ventilation. In the areas closest to the Finisterre type, the stone
blocks are smaller and the gaps are less pronounced. The tornarratos is a continuous cornice when there is a celeiro and circular individual tornarratos with convex upper face when
there are esteos. The roof is of
curved tiles with small eaves and is topped, over the pinches, by sobrepenas
that support the terminals (finials), when the latter are present. The door is
in the side of the chamber. There is usually a masonry staircase, except when
the hórreo is on a zócolo [socle], in which case it may be
of wood.
On
some more elaborate hórreos of the
Coristanco type, the side walls and penais
[end walls] may consist of a framework of large blocks of masonry, with slabs
of smaller stones between them arranged to allow ventilation. On the penais, the smaller stones form a cross.
Hórreo of Coristanco type with cross on penal (http://www.ayuntamiento.org/coristanco.htm).
Hórreo of Coristanco type with cross on penal in Concello de Malpica de
Bergantiños (commons.wikimedia.org).
Hórreo of Coristanco type, side view, in
Concello de Malpica de Bergantiños (commons.wikimedia.org).
Hórreo
of Finisterre Type
The
Finisterre (Fisterra) type is found in a zone delimited by a line that links
Ponteceso with Santa Comba and Carnota. In Finisterre, the local term for hórreo is cabazo or cabaceira.
Hórreo of Fisterra Type
(gl.wikipedia.org).
It
is rectangular, narrow, and tall and is proportionally rather long. It rests on
stone esteos [pillars] that are not
very high, rest on a zócolo [socle]
of masonry, and are topped with individual, convex circular tornarratos. The sides of the chamber
rise over longitudinal rows, over which there are various rows of ashlar perpiaños [long stone blocks]. The door
is in one of the sides. The gabled roof, of curved tiles, has small eaves and
meets up with the pinches under the sobrepenas that support the decorative terminals
(finials).
Hórreo of Finisterre Type in Dumbría (Don Madill – Saturday, September 27, 2014, 10:49 AM).
Typically,
hórreos of this type are rather
rustic; the overlapping stone blocks that form the sides are uncut, not uniform
in size or shape, leaving natural gaps between them. However, there are some
elaborate examples designed by leading architects of the Baroque period, which
use cut stones with regular spaces between the horizontal rows; these also have
elaborate finials over decorative pinches
and sobrepenas. Chief examples are at
Santa Comba, Carnota, and Lira.
Hórreo of Fisterra Type in Santa Comba
de Carnota (commons.wikimedia.org).
Hórreo of Fisterra Type in Carnota (en.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo of Fisterra Type in Lira (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo
of Noia Type
The
Noia (Noya) type exists in the coastal area of La Coruña province, bounded by
the rivers Xallas and Ulla. The largest number of these is found from Noia to Corcubión.
Hórreo of Noia type in Corcubión (commons.wikimedia.org).
It
is rectangular, long, and narrow. It is supported on low, quadrangular stone esteos without zócolos [socles]. The tornarratos
are circular with flat faces. The sides of the chamber are composed of rows of
horizontal perpiaños [long stone
blocks] with horizontal spaces between them for ventilation. The gabled roof is
of curved tiles with little overhang and ends in pinches under sobrepenas
crowned with terminals (finials).
.
Hórreo
of Morrazo Type
The
Morrazo type is found between the estuaries of Pontevedra and Vigo, including
the Morrazo Peninsula. (Some sources say it is found in the coastal area
between Tui on the river Miño [Minho] and Salnés.)
Hórreo of stone in Morrazo style
(gl.wikipedia.org).
It
is rectangular, long, and of variable width. It is supported on low,
cylindrical or quadrangular esteos
crowned with tornarratos that are circular
and not always individual. The four walls of the chamber are composed of pieces
of vertical stone resting on the carreiras
[rows]. The masonry of the vertical pieces has vertical slots that sometimes
have a horizontal strip at half height, dividing the slots into two horizontal
rows. On the penais [small end walls],
triangular pieces form the pinches,
which are topped by sobrepenas with
decorative terminals (finials). The door is in one of the sides, but without a
masonry staircase, and over it sometimes rises a frontispiece (small pediment)
that is elevated, forming a transverse pinche.
The gabled roof is of curved tiles.
Hórreo of Morrazo type (at right) in Combarro
(www.tripadvisor.it at https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/08/b2/d6/dc/los-horreos-de-combarro.jpg). This photo is
courtesy of TripAdvisor.
As
proof that the types of hórreos are
not limited to a particular region, the above photo shows four hórreos in Combarro. The two on the left
are of the Mahía type, the third is the palleira
type, and the near one on the right is the Morrazo type.
Hórreo of
Ponteceso Type
The Ponteceso type is found in the Concello de Ponteceso.
It
is a rectangular hórreo that is wide
and very tall, with two or three stories, with several doors and windows. The
ground floor and perhaps an intermediate floor above it serve as a celeiro [barn] for storing various
things. These lower floors are typically of irregular, uncut stones and may
have windows for lighting. The top floor, with dimensions equal to or slightly
smaller than the celeiro, is the
actual hórreo or camera [chamber], where corn is stored. All four walls of the
chamber consist of horizontal rows of cut masonry, with large slots between the
rows for ventilation. Sometimes, part of the chamber is used as a pombal [dovecote]. Between the celeiro and the chamber is a wide
cornice that serves as tornarratos.
There is a door in one of the long sides of the chamber, with a masonry
staircase leading up to a small platform a few feet below the door. The gabled
roof is of tile with finials crowning the ends and sometimes extra pinnacles on
the corners. The penais [end walls]
of the chamber may contain a window and are topped with triangular pinches, which may contain additional
ventilation slots or decorative elements.
The tallest hórreo in Galicia, of the Ponteceso Type, in Cores,
Concello de Ponteceso (www.ponteceso.net).
The
tallest hórreo of Galicia, rising 8.5
m above the ground, is in Cores (Concello de Ponteceso). It looks like a
3-story house with doors and windows. It has no pies [feet]. Instead, there is ground floor where chickens sleep.
Above that, on the 1st (US 2nd) floor, the owners keep potatoes, chestnuts, and
stuff they no longer want in the house. Then there is an airy 2nd (US 3rd)
floor where the grain is stored. Although not shown in the photo, this
particular hórreo also has a dovecote.
There
are other hórreos in the Concello de
Ponteceso similar to the one in Cores. However, there are also some that are
smaller and less elaborate; they also have a wide chamber above a celeiro, but are not as tall and may be
made of uncut, dry masonry.
Ponteceso
– hórreo (www.ponteceso.net).
Hórreo in
Pemes, Concello de Malpica de Bergantiños (gl.wikipedia.org).
The Concello de Malpica de
Bergantiños is bordered on the south by the Concello de Ponteceso.
MIXED TYPES
Some
hórreos are made of wood and others
of stone. However, the most common (in Galicia) is a mixture of wood and stone.
In some mixed hórreos, the parts
originally of wood may have been preplaced by bricks.
Mixed hórreo atop transverse walls of stonework in Oroso (gl.wikipedia.org).
Other end (with door) of same mixed hórreo atop transverse walls of stonework in Oroso (es.wikipedia.org).
Good
examples of mixed hórreos are found
on the coast of Lugo, where there is a model built of various woods with a
slate base. It stands out for its height and is quite large. Near Santiago, the
hórreos combine the use of wood
pieces with granite; they differ from the previous ones in that they are
longer, wider, and lower. Virtually across the entire province of Pontevedra,
the hórreos differ from the previous
models because they combine a good ashlar granite with wood and are generally
wider.
Hórreos of mixed type
often have all exterior wood surfaces painted to promote preservation. Dark colors
are preferred on flat panels that are often defined by the structural elements
of the sides, taking the shape of panels, checkered fields, or lozenges.
Hórreo
of Carral Type
he
Carral type is found in an area in the shape of an oval with Carral at its
north pole and Sigüeiro at its south pole.
Hórreo of Carral type in village of
Carral (gl.wikipedia.org). This one has finials and has a pair of esteos between the two cepas.
Its
chamber is quite wide and usually has a large capacity. It rests on two thick
and high cepas [transverse walls] of
masonry topped with rectangular tornarratos
of schist (shale). The penais [end
walls] are of masonry, a prolongation of the cepas, and topped in pinches
that may or may not have sobrepenas
or finials. The side walls of the chamber are made of vertical staves connected
by a horizontal strip. The gabled roof is of curved ceramic tiles with overhang
(eaves) on the sides and with penais
extending above the ends. The door is usually in the center of a side wall, but
there is no stone staircase. In some cases, the door may be in one of the penais.
http://www.carral.es/ the official
web site of the Concello de Carral says: The hórreos in Carral are of the Mariñan type, which means narrow and
tall structures. They are built of wood on stone cepas [transverse walls]. In popular culture and in some other
writings, this appears as the Carral type.
Hórreo
of Carballo Type
The
hórreo of the Carballo type is found
in areas of the region of Bergantiños. Its distribution area is small, and it
coexists with other types typical of neighboring areas.
The
Carballo type coincides in geographical location and in characteristics with
the Bergantiñán type, except that in the penais
are made of stone of cachote
[masonry], plastered and whitewashed, as a vertical prolongation of the cepas [transverse walls] on the ends.
Its rectangular chamber is very wide and tall. The chamber is supported by a
grid made of wooden beams that rest on the tornarratos
that top the cepas. The side walls of
the chamber are formed by vertical wooden staves secured by two horizontal
strips. In longer hórreos, the sides are
divided in sections by a pair of peóns
[posts, columns] of stone over each cepa.
The staves are vertical and are joined by horizontal strips. The gabled roof of
tile has little overhang and finished (at the ends) in the penais with sobrepenas of
little thickness adorned with terminals (finials). The door is in one of the
smaller sides, and access to it is by a masonry staircase.
There are no photos available that are correctly identified as the type
described above. The ateneocorredoira.es web site of the Ateneo Corredoira
cultural association in Combarro mistakenly shows an hórreo in nearby Betanzos under “Hórreo tipo Carballo,” but that
photo actually shows wooden penais on
the end and is supported by esteos,
rather than cepas. The
gl.wikipedia.org photo gallery shows a photo of that same hórreo in Betanzos, but its “Clasificación tipolóxica do hórreo
galego” page, over the caption “Hórreo tipo Carballo,” says “{no photo} coming
soon.” However, the Coruña Daily News web site corunadn.es has photo that looks
like same hórreo as above, identifying
it as one of the Mariñan type in the town of Betanzos. The normally
reliable horreosdegalicia.com page on “Estilos de Hórreos” has a completely
different description, with photos, of the Carballo type as a very large hórreo entirely of stone
with horizontal apertures on all four sides and supported on either cepas or a celeiro (not esteos); it
only agrees that this type is found in the zone of Bergantiños.
Hórreo
of Mondoñedo Type
Hórreos of the Mondoñedo
type are found on the Cantabrian coast from the ría [bay] of Ortigueira to
Cadavedo, in Asturias, encompassing Pol and Mondoñedo. The Mondoñedo type coexists
with other types, namely the Ribadeo and Asturian types. Mondoñedo is in the
province of Lugo, in the north coastal area of Galicia.
Hórreo of Mondoñedo type in O Vilar de
Santiago, Santiago de Mondoñedo, Mondoñedo, in snow (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo of Mondoñedo type in Riotorto,
Concello de Riotorto, Lugo, with shed under cepas - a rare photo without snow (gl.wikipedia.org).
The
Mondoñedo type is a fairly wide hórreo
with large capacity, corresponding to a zone with much cultivation of corn. It
is built of wood (chestnut or oak) and stone (slate masonry), in contrast to
the Ribadeo type, which is entirely of stone except for the beams. The
Mondoñedo type is similar to the Carral type, except that the ends of the penais, in this case is a horizontal
overhang, as a result of the (hipped) roof having four slopes. The side walls
of the chamber are of vertical wooden staves with a horizontal strip. It rests
on two cepas [transverse walls] of uncut
dry masonry, sometimes plastered and whitewashed, and of considerable height,
topped with tornarratos of schist
(shale). The penais are of the same
material. The high cepas are a
solution to uneven terrain. The hipped roof is of schist (slate) with small
overhang and has edges reinforced with ceramic tiles. It has very
characteristic terminals in the form of pyramids and in notable numbers. The
terminals are characteristic of this area: three sharp pyramids on the rooftop,
one at each corner of the eaves and one or two in the side of the rib. These
are not merely ornamental, but also help the slate roof withstand the winds. The
door is in one of the penais.
Hórreo, O Vilar de Santiago, Santiago de
Mondoñedo, Mondoñedo with tall cepa
on downhill slope (commons.wikimedia.org).
Hórreo of Mondoñedo type in Riotorto,
Concello de Riotorto, Lugo, with taller cepa
on downhill slope (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo, O
Vilar de Santiago, Santiago de Mondoñedo, Mondoñedo over shed, with masonry staircase for
access to door on side (es.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo
of Mahía Type
Hórreos of the Mahía
type extend along a wide and irregular area delimited by a line that, roughly,
joins Rianxo, Negreira, Santa Comba, Ordes, Palas de Rei, following the Río
Ulla and up the Río Deza to Silleda, A Estreada, Caldas de Reis, Catoira,
Rianxo, and Negreira. This area overlaps with the hórreos of the Carral type to the north, the O Pino type to the
east, and the Noia type to the southwest, so that it coexists with those types.
Hórreos of Mahía type in Laíño, Dodro (gl.wikipedia.org). Photo shows finials, as do
others from Laíño, Dodro at gl.wikipedia.org.
The
Mahía type is higher and more stylized than other types of mixed hórreos. The rectangular chamber is
narrow and long and is supported low stone cepas
[transverse walls], frequently on a zócolo
[socle] to increase the elevation. The cepas
can be of cut-stone masonry, but are most commonly of uncut stone. The chamber
rests on a granite slab that serves as a tornarratos,
or sometimes on beams or a grid of wood. The sides of the chamber are composed
of vertical wooden staves with one or two horizontal strips. The long chamber
is divided into multiple claros
[sections]. The walls of the claros
are separated by vertical stone cambetas
[posts, columns], and there is a cepa
below each of these dividers. The penais
are of quarried stone, with horizontal slots between the stone blocks for
ventilation, and are an extension of the cepas
on the ends. The gabled roof is of curved ceramic tile with little overhang. The
ends of the roof abut the triangular pinches
at the tops of the penais, under sobrepenas, which may or may not have
decorative terminals (finials).
Hórreo of Mahía type in Laíño, Dodro with woodpile between cepas (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo of Mahía type in Laíño, Dodro
(gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo
of Pontevedra Type
The
Pontevedra type is found in an area inside the line that joins Catoira, A
Estrada, Os Peares, Baños de Molgas, and the river Limia, continuing to Lindoso
on the Portuguese border.
Hórreo of Pontevedra type in Vilanova de
Arousa, Pontevedra (gl.wikipedia.org).
It
is a long and narrow hórreo. The
sides of the rectangular chamber are composed of wooden staves of chestnut. It
is supported on a base of thick quadrangular esteos [pillars] topped by individual tornarratos. Resting over the tornarratos
is a grid composed of rows of stone. The penais
[ends], of quarried stone, may have slots for ventilation, and are covered by sobrepenas topped with terminals
(finials). The sides of the chamber are divided into claros [sections] by vertical peóns
[posts] placed over the intermediate esteos.
Two of them serve as jambs of the door, which is in the center of one side
wall. The gabled roof covered with tiles.
Hórreo of Pontevedra type in Cambados,
Pontevedra (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo
of O Pino Type
The
O Pino type is found in a very limited area, between the rivers Tambre and
Ulla, resembling an ellipse whose major axis is an east-to-west line between
Arzúa and Santiago de Compostela.
Hórreo of O Pino type in O Pino
(gl.wikipedia.org).
The
hórreo is very wide and short. It is
elevated either on two cepas
[transverse walls] of masonry or on tables with the space between them creating
below the hórreo a U-shaped alpendre [tool shed, lean-to]. The
chamber is made of wood with vertical staves. The chamber sometimes ends with penais also of vertical wooden staves,
but they may also be of masonry. The tornarratos
are of the mesa [table] type,
consisting of stone slabs. The roof is of two slopes (gabled), or sometimes of
three. The door is in one penal and
is often accessed by means of a masonry staircase leading up to a gallery
(porch) covered by a prolonged overhang over the penal and sometimes guarded by a balustrade.
SPECIAL TYPES
There
are also some special types with volumetric variations on the basis of
rectangular chamber.
Hórreo
of Cabanas Type
The
hórreo of the Cabanas type is very
common in the Cabanas district (on the northern coast of the A Coruña
province). Its distribution covers an area bounded by a line connecting the
estuary of Ortigueira with As Pontes de García Rodríguez and continues along
the valley of the river Eume until Pontedeume.
It
has a simple rectangular chamber that is a little lower and wider than the
Mariñán type. It is supported by short pillars or low, often massive, cepas [transverse walls] of dry masonry,
topped by tornarratos of granite or
shale. There are also examples that rest on a celeiro [barn]. The chamber is wooden and enclosed by vertical
staves connected by horizontal strips. The roof is normally hipped [4-sided],
made of slate with narrow eaves, edges reinforced by ceramic tiles, and without
terminals (finials). The single door is in one of the penais [end walls] and is oriented towards the prevailing winds.
The gl.wikipedia.org “Clasificación
tipolóxica do hórreo galego” page shows a photo over the caption “Hórreo tipo
Cabanas” that does not match its description; the photo shows a gabled roof and
a solid base topped with a mesa
[table] type of tornarratos. However,
the gl.wikipedia.org photo gallery contains the following photos of other hórreos in A Coruña, which do match the
description.
Hórreo in
San Xurxo de Mariña, Concello de Ferrol, A Coruña (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo in
San Xurxo de Mariña, Concello de Ferrol, A Coruña (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo in
Meirás, Concello de Valdoviño, A Coruña (gl.wikipedia.org).
Hórreo of
Vilalba Type
Vilalba
is in the Province of Lugo. The hórreo
of the Vilalba type is found, with low density, in an area in the western part
of the Terra Chá bounded by the Serra da Cova da Serpe, the Serra da Loba, the
river Eume, and the river Miño. There, it coexists with other types of hórreo.
Hórreo of Vilalba type in Mourence,
Concello de Vilalba (gl.wikipedia.org).
It
is small and has a very long, narrow, and tall chamber. It is supported atop
either two cepas [transverse walls]
or one massive cepa. In either case, this
support is of dry masonry without plastering and is topped by a thin,
rectangular tornarratos of shale/slate.
The chamber is enclosed by vertical wooden staves held in place by a horizontal
strip, also of wood. The gabled roof is of thin slate with little overhang
(eaves) on the long sides, but with a long overhang on the ends; the latter
forms a small gallery (porch, balcony) that leads to the door in the penal [end wall]. When the hórreo is on cepas, this porch sits on a grid, and when it is on a massive cepa, it is on an extension of that. In
many cases, there is a masonry staircase on the same axis as the hórreo, leading to the porch.
Hórreo
of Tui Type
The
Tui type has little diffusion and is found only in a small area near Tui, right
next to the River Miño (Minho). It coexists there with other types of wooden
and mixed hórreos.
There are no photos of this type available
from non-copyright sources. However, readers might refer to the http://horreosdegalicia.com/estilos page on “Estilos
de Hórreos.”
The
chamber is long and somewhat wider than the Mariñán type. It is supported by
thick square stone esteos [pillars]
crowned by stone tornarratos in
pairs. On them is a grid formed by four wooden squared beams, assembled at the
edges and slightly protruding. The sides of the chamber are formed by
horizontal staves. The staves that form the sides are nailed into numerous
vertical bars next to each other.
The
roof is of curved ceramic tile. There is a rather unique solution for the
gabled roof, which has two slopes at the same angle, but asymmetrical. One of
the sides of the roof may extend out up to an extra 2 or 3 meters over the side
opposite the one where the door is. This forms a porch that is supported on
small tesoiras [scissors?] resting on
a beam supported by two upright feet, which are in turn crowned by tornarratos. Among these feet, a low
wall encloses a space that is usually used to store firewood. Over the penais [end walls], the roof juts
notably, and the overhang is supported by stanchions as a brace.
SOURCES:
Information
and photos drawn from numerous Internet sources. However, the following were
the primary sources:
https://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clasificaci%C3%B3n_tipol%C3%B3xica_do_h%C3%B3rreo_galego “Clasificación
tipolóxica do hórreo galego” (in Galego); has more detail than English version.
http://www.galiciauniversal.org/urbanismo/arquitectura/horreos “Hórreos”
(describes the parts of an hórreo).
http://archilibre.org/tradition/HORRESPI/galicia/types/types.html “Hórreos de
Galice: Principaux types” (in French).
http://ateneocorredoira.es/vila-dos-horreos/ (in Galego):
includes “Tipoloxía dos hórreos en Galicia” (partially based on
gl.wikipedia.org).
http://dspace.aestrada.com/jspui/bitstream/123456789/109/1/Horreos%20na%20galicia.pdf “Hórreos na
Galicia [Hórreos in Galicia]” (in
Galego). Discusses history, types, and parts.
http://www.wikiwand.com/gl/H%C3%B3rreo_berganti%C3%B1%C3%A1n This is the
only source on the Bergantiños type, other than in Wikipedia’s typology (Galego
version).
http://horreosdegalicia.com/estilos “Estilos de
Hórreos [Styles of Hórreos],” under
“Hórreos de Galicia.” This site has a brief description and good photos of each
type.. However, this
website has a copyright notice: (C) TODA LA INFORMACIÓN DE ESTA PÁGINA ESTÁ
PROTEGIDA POR DERECHOS DE AUTOR, SI SE QUIERE UTILIZAR CUALQUIER INFORMACIÓN DE
LA MISMA DEBE PONERSE EN CONTACTO CON LOS AUTORES Y PEDIR AUTORIZACIÓN EXPRESA.
[© All information of this page is
protected by copyright. If anyone wants to use any information of the same,
they should contact the authors and ask for express authorization.] Therefore, neither
the photos nor text were incorporated into this blog, although the photos
helped in correctly identifying photos from other sources and the text also
helped in better understanding and/or translating information from other
sources.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:H%C3%B3rreos_in_Galicia_(Spain) “Category:
Hórreos in Galicia (Spain).” Includes 47 photos.
https://gl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galer%C3%ADa_de_imaxes_de_h%C3%B3rreos_de_Galicia “Galería de
imaxes de hórreos de Galicia” with photos arranged by Province and then by
Concello (municipality).
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