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Interesting Detail: If you look at the doorway of the lower teito, it is purposefully small and low to the ground to retain heat and prevent the fierce mountain winds from blowing the door open.
1. The Teitos (Thatched Huts)
The two prominent structures in the center are Teitos.
The Roof: These roofs are made from broom (escoba), a flexible and waterproof shrub that grows abundantly in these mountains. The "shaggy" appearance is intentional; the thick layers allow snow to slide off while keeping the interior bone-dry and insulated.
Construction: The walls are made of dry-stone (limestone) without mortar. These huts were used by the Vaqueiros de Alzada as seasonal homes and barns for their cattle during the summer months.
2. The "Corros" and Stone Enclosures
Surrounding the huts is a network of low stone walls.
Livestock Management: These walls, or muros de piedra seca, were used to separate the animals and to protect small vegetable patches or hay storage areas from the wandering goats and cows.
Ruins: In the background, you can see several roofless stone structures. These are either abandoned teitos or smaller corros that have lost their thatch over time.
1. The Teitos (Thatched Huts)
The two prominent structures in the center are Teitos.
The Roof: These roofs are made from broom (escoba), a flexible and waterproof shrub that grows abundantly in these mountains. The "shaggy" appearance is intentional; the thick layers allow snow to slide off while keeping the interior bone-dry and insulated.
Construction: The walls are made of dry-stone (limestone) without mortar. These huts were used by the Vaqueiros de Alzada as seasonal homes and barns for their cattle during the summer months.
2. The "Corros" and Stone Enclosures
Surrounding the huts is a network of low stone walls.
Livestock Management: These walls, or muros de piedra seca, were used to separate the animals and to protect small vegetable patches or hay storage areas from the wandering goats and cows.
Ruins: In the background, you can see several roofless stone structures. These are either abandoned teitos or smaller corros that have lost their thatch over time.