It is wonderful news that the granaries of Asturias have been recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage, because, in addition to being an ingenious solution of vernacular architecture for storing the harvest, they are a living expression of the memory, trades, knowledge, and identity of entire communities, especially in Asturias, where they are part of the landscape and the rural soul. Protecting them means not only preserving wood, stone, or roofs, but also defending a way of life, the bond between generations, and a symbolic legacy that must remain standing, clearly visible and respected, in the face of the oblivion and uniformity of our time.
Beyond the types found on the Iberian Peninsula, granaries built on stilts, morphologically similar to the hórreo , can be found throughout the world , such as the Norwegian stabur, the Swedish hebre, the Polish sol'ek, or the Serbian kukuruzniak. In Asturias, there are two types of structures . The most common is the hórreo : a square building consisting of a wooden chamber, often with a corridor, typically supported by four stone pillars. In a panera , there are usually six. In any case, there is a widespread misconception that distinguishes a hórreo from a panera solely by counting the number of pillars. It is true that hórreos were the first to appear, with documented references dating back to the 13th century.
With the arrival of new crops in the 17th century, primarily corn and potatoes, the need for more storage space arose. It was then that hórreos (raised granaries) evolved into a rectangular structure , giving rise to the first paneras (smaller granaries) , known as the "Maliayo type" in reference to Villaviciosa . Due to their more elongated shape, paneras required a ridge beam to support the roof, which led to a modification of their roofing: instead of four equal slopes, they now had two large slopes, two small slopes, and two separate ridges. In short, the simplest visual difference is this: the hórreo has a single ridge at its peak, while the panera has two.
To build these granaries, the master granary builder selected two chestnut trees of similar size and thickness, cut them lengthwise, and used them as beams, placing one half opposite the other. Since both trunks were of similar dimensions, the granary's floor plan was square, and its roof, with four equal slopes, ended in a single central finial, known as a "moño ," "cantapaxarín," "obispo," or "pico," depending on the region. The number of pegollos (supporting supports) is not a distinguishing criterion , as it can vary depending on the size, use, or even subsequent renovations.
Three main decorative styles can be distinguished in Asturian granaries , each with its own distinct character and region. The oldest is the Villaviciosa style , typical of the 15th and 16th centuries, where beams and planks are adorned with carvings and paintings of ancient origin: geometric motifs, rosettes, triangles, and semicircles. Later, in the 18th century, the Carreño style emerged , visible in the large granaries of the central coast, which are much more ornate, with facades covered in rosettes, vases, and geometric shapes painted in vibrant colors. And in the west, the Allande style appears , also from the 18th century, more austere in appearance but no less expressive, with large carved discs, crosses, rosettes, tetraskeles, and interlacing patterns.
It could be said that the definitive establishment of the hórreo as a building type coincided with the changes brought about by the cultivation of maize , especially in Asturias and Galicia. Today, however, many hórreos have lost their original function or retain it only residually: garlic, onions, beans, or maize are still dried in the exterior corridor, but modern refrigerators and freezers have taken away their former role as guardians of food against the elements and vermin.
We went on to quote the most important parts of the hórreo -which has many-:
· The pegollos. Columns usually of limestone, carved by hand, although there are some of wood. They raise the granary off the ground to isolate it. They are normally 120 cms. Tall.
· The molars or pegolleras. They are flat limestones, of some 80 cms., That avoid the passage of the rodents to the hórreo.
· The trabes. They are the four chestnut wood beams that form the base of the granary.
· The colondresThese are the walls of the granary, which are generally made up of wooden boards crisscrossed with each other and with beams.
· The tiles They are made of clay.
Asturias has a specific protection regime for granaries, bread baskets and dry granaries, set out in the Law of the Principality of Asturias 1/2001, of March 6, on Cultural Heritage, which prohibits the construction of granaries detached from the dwelling, requires that newly constructed granaries must be adapted to the traditional materials and construction and morphological characteristics of these buildings, and establishes various regulations regarding granaries built before 1900, including those that have not been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest or included in the Inventory of Cultural Heritage of Asturias.
If you'd like to admire the traditional granaries (hórreos), there are several villages scattered throughout the region where they are abundant. Barcia in Valdés, for example, boasts nearly a hundred of these "pantries," built in the typical style of western Asturias. The village of Bermiego in Quirós is also noteworthy for housing some of the oldest granaries in the Principality and for their exceptional state of preservation. The village of Sietes in Villaviciosa is another highlight, as is the village of Pen in Amieva, accessible via one of Asturias' most beautiful routes: the Beyu Pen Route . Espinaréu in Piloña and Gueñu/Bueño in Ribera de Arriba are particularly famous for their granaries .
Route of the Beyu Pen
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Granaries everywhere in Espinaréu
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Bueño: a walk through the granaries
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Currently, the Asturian Granary Association , based in the town of Candás, carries out invaluable work in promoting this great Asturian heritage of granaries, bread baskets, and raised granaries. They compile comprehensive information, document the oral traditions of Asturian villages, and are a founding member of the RED HORREA network, which includes several countries.
Text: © Ramón Molleda for asturias.com
