166- Identity: the
building blocks of
2. Literature
and philosophy
3. Art and
architecture
4. Performing
arts
5. Cinema
and fashion
6. Media and
communications
7. Food and drink 8. Living culture:
the details of
Vernacular architecture around the regions
Basque Country
The traditionalcaseriosfarmhouses of rural northern Spain are stout
fellows, built of stone and wood to house animals, crops and people all
under one gently sloping roof.The Basque variety, up in the mountains, are
reminiscent of fat Alpine chalets.
Asturias and Galicia
Theteitois a dying breed.The small stone outbuildings, usually sporting
a woebegone mullet of thatch, can be found weathering away in the
mountain passes of north-west Spain. Similar but slightly larger, the Galician
pallozaserved as family home. Galicia also haspazos, palatial stone houses
constructed forhidalgos.
Catalonia
The Catalan’s version of the animals downstairs/people upstairs
arrangement was called amasía, usually built of stone.
Valencia and Murcia
The traditionalbarracais a cottage-type affair built of adobe and wood, and
sporting a steep thatched roof and whitewashed walls. Not many remain.
Castile y León
Central Spain’s crop of trees allowed for timber framed houses filled in with
clay or adobe bricks. Balconies, verandas and shallow roofs are the norm.
Andalusia
Southern Spain’s traditional farmhouse of choice is called acortijo, built of
clay with tiny windows to keep out the heat.The shallow pantiled roof gets
little in the way of moisture. Smaller versions, occupied by labourers, are
known ascortijillos.