Old Espigueiros of Soajo, Portugal ~ Weird and Unique Buildings
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- A rare gem to see in the North of Portugal if you're flying into Porto. Soajo and Lindoso are old towns in the mountains of Peneda Geres area. These historic granaries (espigueiros) are a must see, and the scenery around is breathtaking.
Nice pieces of history. Great video Milda.
Thanks 😊
Rodent foils. The mushrooms make it difficult for mice to climb. Same with small ventilation "windows". Very practical really.
Looks like a great holiday destination.
Cheers!
Yes it must work, the overhanging bit is just too difficult for them to climb. I saw some more modern versions of similar granaries in villages, some even out of wood but always propped up on overhanging stones.
Stone mushrooms like these were used in the UK too in the past, and probably many other places in Europe. They are called Staddle (or Steddle) stones. The mushroom top is, indeed, supposed to keep out rodents. If you Google Staddle stones you can find images of old wooden construction grain stores built on them. There are three old granite Staddle stones in my parents’ garden in Cornwall , now serving as decorative features. Whether they worked or not is a good question, but people certainly must have thought they did. Really interesting, thanks.
I've seen some of the stone mushroom around the UK and never knew what they were for other than decorative until I saw these granaries. Would be great to find our own versions somewhere still around!
I am moving to Soajo from Brighton UK in April and cannot wait to inspect these fascinatine constructions in more detail. Obrigado. Maf
It's a rather remote but very beautiful place, I love Brighton too though 😊🤙
Incredible! Just the effort alone to quarry and dress the stone not to mention assembly, great video 👍
Thank you yes, those were my thoughts!
Great video again Milda. 🙂
Thank you 🤗
Obrigado! Muito bonito.
bet the mushroom shape probably kept the rats from getting up the legs, like a ledge to a cliff climber, really fun explore, thank you so much !!
Yes, the overhanging bit under the mushroom cap is meant to stop them from climbing - it must work if they invested so much resource building them!
Fascinating place, thank you for showing us! As others have mentioned, most likely the mushroom shapes were the deterrent for rodents rather than the slits. They would have had a hard time hanging upside down to the granite surface, and the overhang is too long for them to reach across to grab the lip. The rodents would also be quite exposed up there while trying to climb, making them easy prey for owls, cats, and other predators. Note how accessible the area around the pillars is - an owl or raptor could easily swoop right between the legs to pick off a mouse or a rat. It's true the ventilation slits are too wide to prevent mice from getting in, should they make it to the slits. Perhaps they were narrower when they were originally carved and have weathered wider? Or perhaps the slits are really intended to guard against birds and larger vermin, while the toadstool overhangs worked against the mice? Whatever the case, wonderful craftsmanship and ingenuity. Definitely would like to visit Soajo now, thanks to you. Enjoy your trip!
Yes and yes and a great point about birds of prey! I think the slits are big enough for mice but the idea that neither rats nor mice can scale the underside of the mushroom and fall off before they can reach the slits. But I like your added consideration since if rodents are constantly trying to climb and fall they do become very vulnerable to predators. There were quite a few cats around too!
Spettacolare
Thanks Giuliano 😊
I've heard of these old espigueiros (espigueiros means "granaries"). They are usually built in a strange way and I find them spooky. What's with the mushroom shaped stone foundations? Does anyone know what the reason is for that? It's really like people let some lunatics loose when it comes to the design of the granaries - very strange!
I'm surprised some are still in use, I thought they were from a long time ago!
I study Portuguese (Brazilian Portuguese), but I sure hope to get chance to visit Portugal one day. It's a beautiful country - and safer than Brazil, lol...
The undercap of the 'mushroom' is where the rats fall off if they climb... hopefully... I can understand bits of Portuguese but only where it's similar to Spanish and Italian 😊
Seems to me that anything attempting to climb up them would have climb up side down under the mushroom top and fall off. They were probably keep very clean underneath or even polished to prevent little feet from holding on and climbing upside down. Gravity and a slippery surface is all you would need! LOL.
Yep you're 100% right, that's how it's supposed to work and it must work as they wouldn't have build so many. I did look and while the surface is quite rough there probably just isn't enough for them to grab onto, plus gravity, for sure!
there are wooden examples in the UK that are considerably older, very old technology from across much of Europe
Yes I'd really like to find and see them now, my kind of thing lol 😊
@@MildaGoesWild Wandlebury park near Cambridge has one from the 15th century that was moved there years ago
@@andyc750 thanks 👍
You forgot to pick me up
Haha