Galicia and its horreos

[KinkyOne]

In northeastern part of my country we have almost the same corn-storage "units" as horreos in Galicia. That's why I was so attracted to those Galican ones. I only have 9 pictures of them, but I also saw many more of them on some blogs. And I've thought that it would be nice to see some more of them.

Here are (first) two of mine, from Moutras.

 

[StuartM]

It was a few days before I realised what they were. Myself and some other pilgrims speculated on it as we went, my own theory was that they were some kind of ossuary for storing the remains of ancestors

I was a little disappointed finding out they were actually corn stores!

 

[Theo]

Hi,

Attached a picture of one of the biggest galician horreo : Carnota horreo (34,74 m long)

Théo

 

[egar]

Hi,

Attached a picture of one of the biggest galician horreo : Carnota horreo (34,74 m long)

Théo

Another very large horreo. This one is slightly north of Arzua in A Painza at a very nice rural property with cottages and a large manor house and gardens. About 1K off of the Camino.

 

[Theatregal]

Really enjoyed seeing the horreos and the varying shapes and sizes in different parts of Galicia (and Asturias). Also interesting seeing how some had been converted and renovated for other use - extra living space - workshops - even saw one that had been converted to a children's dance studio.

 

[KinkyOne]

Really enjoyed seeing the horreos and the varying shapes and sizes in different parts of Galicia. Also interesting seeing how some had been converted and renovated for other use - extra living space - workshops - even saw one that had been converted to a children's dance studio.

Wow, such a variety of horreos. I must admit mine are much more "usual"

Ventosa & Cornado:

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

I took so many photos of the horreos, that I had to make a mental decision NOT to photograph any more!
Pictures of many of them are on my web site - check the diaries and also check the links to over 1,000 photos!!
[By the time you've started looking at all those photos, you won't have time to walk any more caminos!!]

 

[indyrem]

It was a few days before I realised what they were. Myself and some other pilgrims speculated on it as we went, my own theory was that they were some kind of ossuary for storing the remains of ancestors

I was a little disappointed finding out they were actually corn stores!

You and me both but it took me a lot longer to know what they were until I finally asked a local what they were.

 

[Theatregal]

I took so many photos of the horreos, that I had to make a mental decision NOT to photograph any more!
Pictures of many of them are on my web site - check the diaries and also check the links to over 1,000 photos!!
[By the time you've started looking at all those photos, you won't have time to walk any more caminos!!]

Your story is my story! 1000's of photos!

 

[Pelegrin]

Kinkyone
I didn't know about Slovenian horreos, but I knew about them in other parts of Europe. Actually the aerial barn is the most efficient way to preserve grain from humidity and rodents.

Theatregal, shows us interesting photos probably from the Primitivo. Here you can see the type from Asturias, square with four pillars, and the type from Galicia wich is rectangular with either wall of stones or pillars. In the Primitivo, horreos are many of them in a poor condition but in other richer parts of Galicia there are spectacular horreos like that one from Theo´s in Carnota. In fact, the horreo showed the economic status of the family. The wealthy families sometimes contracted canteiros to build big horreos in carved stone.
Horreos were mainly used to store corn, but today many of them are used only as box room.

As you can see, horreos in Galicia have on top two symbols:One is the Christian cross and the other is a pagan symbol of fertility with phallic shape. Both are to protect the food inside and to ask for future good crops Apparently, and it is my speculation, when Galicia became Christian, farmers put the cross on top but kept the previous pagan symbol "just in case".

The cross on top has confused some of you. But obviously people in Galicia are buried like in most of the world in cemeteries, Catholic style. Cemeteries in Galicia have the particularity that the parish church is inside, mostly in the middle of the cemetery.

 

[ivar]

I should take a picture if mine... now it is dark out..

 

[Theatregal]

Kinkyone
I didn't know about Slovenian horreos, but I knew about them in other parts of Europe. Actually the aerial barn is the most efficient way to preserve grain from humidity and rodents.

Theatregal, shows us interesting photos probably from the Primitivo. Here you can see the type from Asturias, square with four pillars, and the type from Galicia wich is rectangular with either wall of stones or pillars. In the Primitivo, horreos are many of them in a poor condition but in other richer parts of Galicia there are spectacular horreos like that one from Theo´s in Carnota. In fact, the horreo showed the economic status of the family. The wealthy families sometimes contracted canteiros to build big horreos in carved stone.
Horreos were mainly used to store corn, but today many of them are used only as box room.

As you can see, horreos in Galicia have on top two symbols:One is the Christian cross and the other is a pagan symbol of fertility with phallic shape. Both are to protect the food inside and to ask for future good crops Apparently, and it is my speculation, when Galicia became Christian, farmers put the cross on top but kept the previous pagan symbol "just in case".

The cross on top has confused some of you. But obviously people in Galicia are buried like in most of the world in cemeteries, Catholic style. Cemeteries in Galicia have the particularity that the parish church is inside, mostly in the middle of the cemetery.

Really wonderful to read this history! Yes - should clarify - some of my photos are from Asturias.

 

[KinkyOne]

Kinkyone
I didn't know about Slovenian horreos, but I knew about them in other parts of Europe. Actually the aerial barn is the most efficient way to preserve grain from humidity and rodents.

Theatregal, shows us interesting photos probably from the Primitivo. Here you can see the type from Asturias, square with four pillars, and the type from Galicia wich is rectangular with either wall of stones or pillars. In the Primitivo, horreos are many of them in a poor condition but in other richer parts of Galicia there are spectacular horreos like that one from Theo´s in Carnota. In fact, the horreo showed the economic status of the family. The wealthy families sometimes contracted canteiros to build big horreos in carved stone.
Horreos were mainly used to store corn, but today many of them are used only as box room.

As you can see, horreos in Galicia have on top two symbols:One is the Christian cross and the other is a pagan symbol of fertility with phallic shape. Both are to protect the food inside and to ask for future good crops Apparently, and it is my speculation, when Galicia became Christian, farmers put the cross on top but kept the previous pagan symbol "just in case".

The cross on top has confused some of you. But obviously people in Galicia are buried like in most of the world in cemeteries, Catholic style. Cemeteries in Galicia have the particularity that the parish church is inside, mostly in the middle of the cemetery.

Thanks, @Pelegrin,

Most of that I do know, but somehow I can't explain to myself how horreos (or similar corn storages) are connected to weather conditions in certain region. While Galicia is very hilly (with horreos which I didn't see in Castilla y Leon or Navarra) we in Slovenia have horreos in very flat-terrain part of the country with completely different kind of weather. Maybe I'll dig some more into that.
Nevertheless - thanks for explanation!!!

Take care!

 

[Hephsi]

In northeastern part of my country we have almost the same corn-storage "units" as horreos in Galicia. That's why I was so attracted to those Galican ones. I only have 9 pictures of them, but I also saw many more of them on some blogs. And I've thought that it would be nice to see some more of them.

Here are (first) two of mine, from Moutras.

A couple of ladies I met along the Way were very interested in the horreos and photographed almost every one. As they came from near home I have email address for them . Would you like me to ask them to share the photos? I would like to see them ,too. I gave up the photography early in my pilgrimage on account of battery usage.

There were some very beautiful horreos but I liked the old dilapidated ones,too.

 

[KinkyOne]

A couple of ladies I met along the Way were very interested in the horreos and photographed almost every one. As they came from near home I have email address for them . Would you like me to ask them to share the photos? I would like to see them ,too. I gave up the photography early in my pilgrimage on account of battery usage.

There were some very beautiful horreos but I liked the old dilapidated ones,too.

Well, go for it @Hephsi

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Among my Pilgrimage I diary entries, there is a comment - "I looked. I really looked [for the Capela de Santiago]. There was, indeed, a yard on the left of the road, and inside was a ruined building. It was certainly old, but seemed too large to be a “Capela” [chapel] The ruined building had a lintel which had strange hieroglyphs on it - and a small dilapidated building [about 1m wide, by 2m high by 3m long.] I wondered if this might be a tiny ‘capela’ but it would have been too small to house any congregation.


I still have no idea if the main ruins were the ‘lost’ Capela. But I now know the small building was not a chapel. And that, on day 5, was my first introduction to the Horreo - for that is what the tiny building was - an almost national icon, seen in abundance throughout northern Portugal and Galicia where some 20% of houses have these in the garden. They are balanced on six, eight or more staddle stones, similar to those seen in Cornwall, which keep the store off the ground, and out of the way of mice and rats. They were used to store maize - and I even saw one still being used for that purpose, with maize still in it."

 

[KinkyOne]

Horreos in Maronas, Vilar de Xastro and Lago (all of them on Camino Finisterre):

 

[Theatregal]

A few more from the Primitivo…the first one near Venta del Escamplero, the next just before Penaflor , next two in Penaflor and the last just before Salas.

 

[KinkyOne]

A few more from the Primitivo…the first one near Venta del Escamplero, the next just before Penaflor , next two in Penaflor and the last just before Salas.

those Primitivo horreos are so big you could open small albergues in them.

 

[Pelegrin]

In Asturias, those big square horreos with corridor and balconies that you could open a small albergue in there are called "paneras".
These things make the Primitivo (and Norte) very interesting in my opinion. Because Galicia and Asturias are apparently two similar "green regions" but they have quite different particularities: horreos, language, gastronomy, etc. difficult to differentiate for pilgrims in general.
The Francés is simpler to distinguish, first the Meseta and then almost suddenly another country with green hills.

 

[freescot]

I liked this one because it is set among other buildings - with many cables, a constant in my photos. This is just after crossing the river at Puentesampaio on the Camino Portuguese.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

I liked this one because it is set among other buildings - with many cables, a constant in my photos. This is just after crossing the river at Puentesampaio on the Camino Portuguese.

Hi Freescot! Like you, I was amazed at the horreos located in towns. There were two I discovered in Redondela [Porto to SdC camino]


They continue to fascinate me, even though I walked past many stone masons, where you could buy a new one. I was tempted to buy one, but didn't think Ryanair would accept it as part of my cabin baggage!
Buen camino!

 

[KinkyOne]

Hi Freescot! Like you, I was amazed at the horreos located in towns. There were two I discovered in Redondela [Porto to SdC camino]
View attachment 8281 View attachment 8282

They continue to fascinate me, even though I walked past many stone masons, where you could buy a new one. I was tempted to buy one, but didn't think Ryanair would accept it as part of my cabin baggage!
Buen camino!

I think it's quite possible that people bought those horreos and moved them into less rural environment. Maybe as a reminder of past times or just for esthetic reasons??? But sure looks kind of strange with all those wires and parked cars around and above them

 

[KinkyOne]

Last two that I have. Both from Olveiroa.

 

[Stephen Nicholls]

Last two that I have. Both from Olveiroa.

...and those are interesting - a] one is very big, and b] the height of some of the support stones [we'd call them staddle stones - similar ones used in Cornwall, UK]

 

[freescot]

I think it's quite possible that people bought those horreos and moved them into less rural environment. Maybe as a reminder of past times or just for esthetic reasons??? But sure looks kind of strange with all those wires and parked cars around and above them

Possibly. The towns in Spain have become built up around small centres very, very quickly. Most of these towns had sheep and goats passing through the streets 25 years ago and even last week on the main road into Santiago there were chickens on the loose, pecking away merrily at grains on the tarmac.

 

[Pelegrin]

The horreo from S. Nicholls photos I think it's inside a property that includes a vegetable garden too . That's frequent in urban areas of Galicia. Probably during the brick bubble, the owner did not sell it for building purposes, either because he loved it or the surface was not enough according to council requirements. In Galicia people are extremely fan of their vegetable gardens to grow vegatables and potatoes. for making caldo galego.

 

[angulero]

In Asturias, those big square horreos with corridor and balconies that you could open a small albergue in there are called "paneras".

No, eso no es así. La diferencia entre hórreo y panera es que el hórreo es de planta cuadrada, por lo tanto su tejado acaba en un pico, y la panera es de planta rectangular.

Como ya han explicado, el hórreo se utilizaba para conservar las cosechas, no sólo de maíz, también la patata, la "faba", etc. Al estar alto, evitabas la humedad, y al apoyarse en los "pegollos" los roedores no podían subir. Esto es un "pegollo":

No, that is not so. The difference between "hórreo" and "panera" is that is square, therefore your roof ends in a peak, and the "panera" is rectangular.
As already explained, the "hórreo" was used to keep the crops, not only corn, potato also, the "faba" etc.. Being tall, you avoided the humidity, and relying on the "pegollos" rodents could not climb. This is a "pegollo":

Todavía se siguen utilizando las zonas rurales, por ejemplo, para secar la "faba", como los "hórreos" de las fotos, que no están muy lejos de mi casa.

Are still used in rural areas, for example, to dry the "faba" as the "hórreos" of the photos, which are not far from my house.

¿Alguien se fijo cuando pasó al lado de algunos que aún conservan, sobre todo los antiguos, la simbología celta?

Anybody fixed when he walked past that still retain some, especially older, Celtic symbolism?

Os dejó un vídeo donde se ven bastantes hórreos y muchos de esos dibujos.

I made a video where many "hórreos" are many of these drawings.

P.D.: La terminología que utilizo es la que se se usa en la mayor parte de Asturias. En otras zonas del norte, los nombres posiblemente cambien.

P.D.: I use terminology that is used in most of Asturias. In other areas of the north, the names may change.

 

[indyinmaine]

I have a whole fistful of them but, sad to say, most of them have raindrops on them! Let me know if you're collecting them

 

[ManyMiles2Go]

Here are 2 of them you can add to your collection

 

[Pelegrin]

OK, Angulero, you are Asturiano, then you must be right.
As a summary: Asturian horreos and Asturian paneras have similar shape (see Angulero's photos) and they are
clearly different from Galician horreos (see manymiles2go's photos).
And only those fortunate pilgrims doing Primitivo and Norte will enjoy these differences.

 

[angulero]

Tienes parte de razón, ya que las paneras son mayores que los hórreos, y es así porque son una evolución de éste por la necesidad de más espacio. Pero la diferencia principal entre uno y otro, es la planta. Os dejo unos vídeos por si a alguien le apetece ver más hórreos.

Have some truth, as the bread basket outweigh the granaries, and is so because it is an evolution of the need for more space. But the main difference between the two is the plant. I leave some videos in case someone wants to see granaries.

http://s3.redmeda.com/didactica/redmeda_didactica_quiros_horreos_apuntes.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHeClnrikmY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnHKl2EOcdc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_SwEvcjrkA

Ya para acabar, este es el mayor hórreo de Asturias, que está en casa de una tía mía, en Ibias. Mayor hórreo, hay paneras mucho mayores.

Now finally, this is the largest hórreo of Asturias, which is home to an aunt in Ibias. Mayor hórreo, there paneras much higher.

 

[Pelegrin]

Angulero, Yo conozco Ibias en que pueblo está ese gran horreo?.

Angulero, I know ibias, in which village is that big horreo located?

 

[angulero]

Angulero, Yo conozco Ibias en que pueblo está ese gran horreo?.

Angulero, I know ibias, in which village is that big horreo located?

En Lagüeiro, al lado de Cecos. En la casa que llaman el palacio. Por cierto, mi padre me ha corregido. En realidad es una panera, por muy poco porque su planta es casi cuadrada. Una vez habían hablado de que era el mayor hórreo, pero fue una confusión.

In Lagüeiro beside Cecos. At the palace they call. By the way, my father corrected me. It's actually a panera, for very little because their plant is almost square. Once they had talked about it was the largest hórreo, but it was a confusion.

 

[Pelegrin]

Gracias Angulero. Conozco donde está Cecos, te mandaré un mensaje personal con mas detalles de lo que conozco de Ibias.

Thank you Angulero, I know where Cecos is. I will send you a PM with more details about what i know about Ibias.

 

[angulero]

Se me olvidaba, cerca de Oviedo está el centro de interpretación del hórreo.

I forgot, near Oviedo is the interpretation center hórreo.

http://www.territorio-museo.com/lang/es/416-informacion-general

 

[KinkyOne]

Se me olvidaba, cerca de Oviedo está el centro de interpretación del hórreo.

I forgot, near Oviedo is the interpretation center hórreo.

http://www.territorio-museo.com/lang/es/416-informacion-general

Great to know that @angulero because in coming years I'll eventually walk Salvador/Primitivo and that will be a chance to see the horreo center

Ultreia!

 

[angulero]

No lo conozco porque nunca he estado. Al parecer se hizo ahí porque es un pueblo de menos de 200 habitantes donde hay casi cincuenta hórreos. Hay una ruta señalizada para verlos. Quizás lo vaya a visitar pronto.

I do not know because I've never been. Apparently there was because it is a village of fewer than 200 inhabitants where nearly fifty granaries. There is a marked route for them. Maybe I will visit soon.