Heritage & Society
The Elevated Granaries of the North of the Iberian Peninsula as a Representative Manifestation of the Spanish Material and Intangible Cultural Heritage (Typological definition, regulatory framework and conservation criteria)
Javier Mundiña Basanta & Belén Trigo
University of Santiago de Compostela
- Date
- Time
- -
- Room
- A01
- Format
- Paper
- Chair
- Debbie Whelan
Presentation abstract
Abstract
Granaries on stilts (hórreos or cabazos) are structures elevated on stone supports, intended for the storage and drying of grain through perimeter ventilation and hygrothermal insulation. Its construction system combines an assembled wooden box, supported on stone pillars and rodent‑barrier discs, and a light cover adapted to local materials. From conservation-restoration, its treatment must be governed by the principles of minimal intervention, material compatibility, reversibility, legibility and respect for technical authenticity.
Legal protection begins with Decree 449/1973, which protects only the granaries (hórreos and cabazos) of Asturias and Galicia that are more than one hundred years old, establishing that “they remain under the protection of the State, which will prevent any intervention that alters their character.” Royal Decree 313/2026 expands this framework, on the one hand, extending protection to all types of granaries, without chronological limit, and incorporating those existing in León, Cantabria, Navarra and the Basque Country, thus recognizing their historical distribution in the north of the peninsula. On the other hand, it extends its recognition as part of the intangible cultural heritage.
From the point of view of the risks that threaten this type of construction, we must highlight not only those derived from its abandonment and looting; also the lack of training in traditional trades linked to the granary culture, as well as documentation of both the construction and restoration techniques and the uses, functions, values and meanings of the granary.
Therefore, any intervention must be based on a prior diagnosis of pathologies and complete documentation of the property. The actions will be limited to consolidation operations and specific replacement with compatible materials, avoiding volumetric alterations or changes to the construction system. Likewise, the preservation of these elements requires also maintaining traditional construction techniques, considered part of the intangible cultural heritage.
Meet the presenters
About the presenters
Javier Mundiña Basanta
I am an architect from the University of A Coruña (Galicia, Spain). I accessed doctoral studies in Architecture in the departments of Architectural Representation and Theory, Composition and Construction Technology at the University of A Coruña, obtaining the Diploma of Advanced Studies (2004). I am currently writing my doctoral thesis in the PhD Programme in Cultural Heritage Protection at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain).
Belén Trigo
PhD in Private Law, I am Associate Professor in the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain) since 2006. I am currently the director of the research project on Tangible and intangible heritage: culture, architecture and landscape in Galicia developed in the context of the PhD Program in Cultural Heritage Protection of the University of Santiago de Compostela.