The towns in the Omaña region have a structure characteristic of the north of the province of León and, in general, of the Cantabrian area of ​​Spain. These are small nuclei with a semi-dispersed grouping of homes and buildings, that is, arranged in neighborhoods or areas, sometimes markedly separated and other times with a more diffuse distribution; This is due to maximum use of space and integration with the natural environment. Alonso González distinguishes several types in the distribution of populations according to their location:[2]​.

The circulation routes between the properties are usually narrow and alternate with open areas or larger squares, where neighborhood meetings, dances, festivities and markets took place.

Castros

About twenty remains of forts "Castro (fortification)") are known in Omaña and Valdesamario; The oldest ones date back to the Bronze Age, although the fortified culture reached its peak in the Iron Age. In most cases there are signs of occupation in the Late Middle Ages.[4] They are located on hills and knolls near rivers. The dimensions range around an average of . They had human habitation and defensive functions, the latter evidenced by the presence of moats, embankments and walls around them. Some could be associated with gold exploitation in Roman times. The pits are especially well preserved in Murias de Paredes, Otero de las Dueñas and Villaceid, where they were excavated in the rock, and in Omañón, Vegarienza and Riello "Riello (León)"), protected as they were blocked by earth. The walls are normally oval, like the forts of Galicia.[5]​.

The homes are usually in a worse state of conservation. In Villaceid it can be seen that they were circular or oval in shape, without any appreciable order in their distribution.[6]​ In contrast, in the forts of southern and eastern Omaña, there are houses with a rectangular plan, which denotes influences from the plateau.[7]​.

Medieval fortifications

Although the region has sculptural elements from the Romanesque period and, to a lesser extent, the Gothic period, no architectural structures from the medieval period are preserved,[1] apart from the remains of necropolises, for example in Rosales "Rosales (León)") and Murias de Paredes, temples, as in Curueña and fortifications such as the Benal castle in El Castillo "El Castillo (León)"), the Vallaos castle in La

Garandilla and Trascastro de Luna. These castles, particularly that of Benal, constitute the most studied examples of the architecture of this period.

The castle of Benal, Beñal or Benar[n. 1]​ It already appears as "fort of Benal" in a document from 1366. Shortly after, "County of Luna (Castilla)" came into the possession of the Quiñones family). It has a triangular plan, probably dictated by the topography of the hill on which it is located, and of which there is only one other example in Spain.[8]​ Its tower was a trapezoidal prism with masonry and mortar walls. At the end of the century the castle was destroyed and its materials were used to pave the road. The keep and some walls still remain standing.[9]​[10]​ In 2010, a round table was organized to discuss the eventual transfer of the castle to the town council of Riello, the first step towards its restoration.[11]​.

The Trascastro castle was located on an elevation above the Omaña River. Some mortar walls remain from it. It had a rectangular tower, masonry walls and a walled enclosure. It was destroyed in the century and never rebuilt.[9]​.

Baroque and neoclassical constructions

The Renaissance period did not leave any distinctive architectural elements either, although the altarpieces in the churches of Villaceid and Salce "Salce (León)" date from this period. From the century the most notable construction is the sanctuary of Pandorado"), the main place of pilgrimage in Omaña. The plan of the temple is rectangular, with masonry walls. It has a square tower and three levels, the upper one used as a bell tower. The nave has a chapel on each side. The building also contains a presbytery "Presbytery (architecture)"), a dressing room and a side porch, supported by uprights. The house of the Tusinos dates from the same century in Folloso, currently in a precarious state, with walls with masonry masonry and corners and a family coat of arms in carved stone.[1]​.

The sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de la Garandilla") was built in the first quarter of the 19th century, although it is located on an older temple, possibly from the 19th century. spiers.[12][1] Other religious buildings from the same century stand out, such as the hermitage of Jesús Nazareno, in Barrio de la Puente, with a coat of arms on its façade; the church of the same town, built in 1773 and with very distinctive balconies on the belfry "Espadaña (architecture)") and the church of Villaceid.[1] The oldest houses whose construction date is known, in Sosas del, are also from the century. Cumbral (1736) and Sabugo "Sabugo (Murias de Paredes)") (1777).[3]​.

contemporary era

In contrast to the stability of previous centuries, in which the general style of architecture remained without major changes, the century was characterized by the gradual appearance of construction elements other than traditional ones, frequently located in the most important population centers, such as Riello "Riello (León)"), in the homes of merchants, doctors, teachers and other professionals settled in the region.[13]​ The trend intensified starting in the 1960s due to three factors:

In the last decades of the century, studies began to be published that contributed to raising awareness of the importance of traditional architecture for the cultural heritage.[15]​ In the century, interest in the rehabilitation of buildings following traditional guidelines has increased, with support from the Provincial Council of León.[16]​.

Walls

The construction of the primitive Omañesa house begins with a trench for the foundations on which unhewn stone walls are built, filled with clay and, sometimes, lime and sand. Schist, a type of rock abundant in the region, predominates as material,[14]​ although in the Valdesamario valley the use of adobe is observed in the upper part of the walls, as is characteristic in more southern regions. As the wall is erected, holes are left in it - called michinales or bichinales - to insert the support beams for the scaffolding.[3]​ In the simplest buildings the masonry may be visible, but it is often whitewashed. Although rounded corners are found in some houses,[14] there are many rectangular corners made up of blocks of slate and quartz interlocked in such a way that the final stone of a row is sandwiched between the lower and upper rows of the adjacent wall. In the most elaborate houses, the joints of the walls are made of ashlar.[3]​ In many towns there are buildings with a family coat of arms adorning the wall.

Ceiling

The roof is normally gabled. The traditional armor is made of wood from species common in the region, such as poplar, birch or oak. The beams located on the walls on which the rest of the weapons rest are called sleepers or abutments. On both ends and in between are the scissors, triangular structures composed of two trusses forming an angle, held below by a brace that extends between the sleepers. The summit or row rests on the vertices of the scissors. The "cantiaos" connect the summit with the sleepers and on them the cangos were arranged, tied with wicker poles or the llatas or shingles, depending on whether the cover was vegetal or not.[n. 2]​ They are also found with three or four-sided roofs. Gabled roofs sometimes appear with a highlighted and stepped header that continues the load-bearing wall.[3]​.

Until the 19th century, the usual cover was made of rye tops, the main cereal crop in the region.[17] The tops were obtained by crushing the rye with a "piertigo" or flail, a technique that, unlike machine threshing, allowed the obtaining of straw of sufficient length. The bundles of cuelmo, tied with shorter straws called civillas, were arranged on the framework in rows tied to the cangos. The progressive abandonment of the centennial lands as a consequence of emigration was also an important factor in the gradual disappearance of the teitos, as there was no

the raw material for repair. Those that are preserved are usually covered with fiber cement. In homes, tile and slab have replaced straw. The tile is more common in the south and east of the region, while the slab predominates in the western part. The tile sits on a layer of clay that covers the shingles. The slabs are

They nail directly to the shingles.[3]​.

Doors, windows and corridors

The access doors to the patio of the house are wide, so that cars can pass through them. They normally have two leaves, made with wooden planks with nails and wrought iron with handles, the simplest version of which are round forged rings attached to a metal plate attached to the wood. The access doors to homes and auxiliary buildings are narrower and have a single leaf. Many times they incorporate a large upper window, which can

manage to horizontally divide the door in two, allowing interior lighting and ventilation. The markings around the doors are made of retouched stone or wood in older houses, while those built later in the century usually have brick jambs and lintels.[18]​[3]​.

The windows are small in size and simple in construction. They frequently open in the wall framed by a simple wooden fence, although sometimes they are highlighted with carved or semi-carved stones and even brick. In the cellars and stables there are very small vents made with two stones and a slab. Although there are examples of blind carpentry without glass, especially in barns and auxiliary buildings, this is more common in balconies, where the upper part is usually glazed and the lower part blind with panels. The protective parapets of the balconies are normally made with cut boards or with

bars attached to the wooden fence.[18]​.

The corridors are a very characteristic architectural element in the two-story homes in the region.[14] They are normally arranged along the longest wall not facing north and are protected in their upper part by the flight of the roof. The corridors are supported at the bottom with support beams or vertical supports. In most cases they are open and often one of the sides has a staircase through which you can access the house, especially when they open onto an interior corral. There are also examples of closed corridors, usually with wood and glass,[18]​ or sometimes, in houses renovated during the 19th century, using more modern materials and solutions.[3]​.

The subsidiary architecture constitutes a reflection, on the one hand, of the autarky that characterized the economy in the region and by which the inhabitants produced an important part of their daily sustenance and, on the other, of the importance of livestock. Thus, there are examples of ovens, mills, haystacks, stables, apiaries, and huts and cabins in the brañas to house the shepherds, although the latter are in smaller numbers than in Babia and Laciana.[19]​ Unlike in these regions, no granaries are preserved, with Los Bayos, in the northwestern end of the region, being the last town where there was evidence of their existence in the 19th century.[20]​ Some houses have wells, similar to those found in La Cepeda "La Cepeda (León)"), protected with a roof. "Palomar (birds)") dovecotes are preserved in the eastern part of the region, in Villaceid and Bonella, similar to those found in Luna.[21]​.

Many of these auxiliary buildings are in a poor state of conservation, having stopped being used for their primary function as the region has become depopulated, and because their construction is generally of poorer quality than that of the buildings dedicated to human habitation.

The family home brings together all the resources necessary to house animals and the preparation and storage of food for animal and human consumption (bread bin, smoke stove, storage room, wine cellar, etc.). A distinction is made between a stable, a court and a stable, intended for housing large livestock, small livestock and horses respectively. The house and associated buildings are arranged around a corral or patio fenced with mud or stone. The house can be one or two floors and is normally accessed from the corral; In two-story houses with a corridor, it is common for the access door to open to it. The houses are separated by narrow alleys and grouped in groups of 12-14, although in larger towns they can number several dozen.[22]​.

The kitchen is the main room, due to the presence in it of the hearth "Home (fire)") or llar, which once made it the center of family life. In the original house the hearth was located in the center or attached to the wall and was made of slab with a wooden surround; Above, there were the pregancias, chains from which the cauldrons used to prepare the meals were hung, and a "pergola" or cover of wicker, wood or slab that served to prevent the sparks from the fire from igniting the teito. Around the hearth, the furniture was arranged, consisting of "Escaño (furniture)" seats, sometimes used as beds, seats and various sideboards and closets. From the kitchen there is access to one or more rooms, originally separated by wooden or wicker partitions and intended solely for resting and storing food. Chimneys began to appear relatively late, with an opening in the roof fulfilling their function first.[3] It is unusual for this division of interior space to persist in rehabilitated homes.

The towns in the Omaña region have a structure characteristic of the north of the province of León and, in general, of the Cantabrian area of ​​Spain. These are small nuclei with a semi-dispersed grouping of homes and buildings, that is, arranged in neighborhoods or areas, sometimes markedly separated and other times with a more diffuse distribution; This is due to maximum use of space and integration with the natural environment. Alonso González distinguishes several types in the distribution of populations according to their location:[2]​.

The circulation routes between the properties are usually narrow and alternate with open areas or larger squares, where neighborhood meetings, dances, festivities and markets took place.

Castros

About twenty remains of forts "Castro (fortification)") are known in Omaña and Valdesamario; The oldest ones date back to the Bronze Age, although the fortified culture reached its peak in the Iron Age. In most cases there are signs of occupation in the Late Middle Ages.[4] They are located on hills and knolls near rivers. The dimensions range around an average of . They had human habitation and defensive functions, the latter evidenced by the presence of moats, embankments and walls around them. Some could be associated with gold exploitation in Roman times. The pits are especially well preserved in Murias de Paredes, Otero de las Dueñas and Villaceid, where they were excavated in the rock, and in Omañón, Vegarienza and Riello "Riello (León)"), protected as they were blocked by earth. The walls are normally oval, like the forts of Galicia.[5]​.

The homes are usually in a worse state of conservation. In Villaceid it can be seen that they were circular or oval in shape, without any appreciable order in their distribution.[6]​ In contrast, in the forts of southern and eastern Omaña, there are houses with a rectangular plan, which denotes influences from the plateau.[7]​.

Medieval fortifications

Although the region has sculptural elements from the Romanesque period and, to a lesser extent, the Gothic period, no architectural structures from the medieval period are preserved,[1] apart from the remains of necropolises, for example in Rosales "Rosales (León)") and Murias de Paredes, temples, as in Curueña and fortifications such as the Benal castle in El Castillo "El Castillo (León)"), the Vallaos castle in La

Garandilla and Trascastro de Luna. These castles, particularly that of Benal, constitute the most studied examples of the architecture of this period.

The castle of Benal, Beñal or Benar[n. 1]​ It already appears as "fort of Benal" in a document from 1366. Shortly after, "County of Luna (Castilla)" came into the possession of the Quiñones family). It has a triangular plan, probably dictated by the topography of the hill on which it is located, and of which there is only one other example in Spain.[8]​ Its tower was a trapezoidal prism with masonry and mortar walls. At the end of the century the castle was destroyed and its materials were used to pave the road. The keep and some walls still remain standing.[9]​[10]​ In 2010, a round table was organized to discuss the eventual transfer of the castle to the town council of Riello, the first step towards its restoration.[11]​.

The Trascastro castle was located on an elevation above the Omaña River. Some mortar walls remain from it. It had a rectangular tower, masonry walls and a walled enclosure. It was destroyed in the century and never rebuilt.[9]​.

Baroque and neoclassical constructions

The Renaissance period did not leave any distinctive architectural elements either, although the altarpieces in the churches of Villaceid and Salce "Salce (León)" date from this period. From the century the most notable construction is the sanctuary of Pandorado"), the main place of pilgrimage in Omaña. The plan of the temple is rectangular, with masonry walls. It has a square tower and three levels, the upper one used as a bell tower. The nave has a chapel on each side. The building also contains a presbytery "Presbytery (architecture)"), a dressing room and a side porch, supported by uprights. The house of the Tusinos dates from the same century in Folloso, currently in a precarious state, with walls with masonry masonry and corners and a family coat of arms in carved stone.[1]​.

The sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de la Garandilla") was built in the first quarter of the 19th century, although it is located on an older temple, possibly from the 19th century. spiers.[12][1] Other religious buildings from the same century stand out, such as the hermitage of Jesús Nazareno, in Barrio de la Puente, with a coat of arms on its façade; the church of the same town, built in 1773 and with very distinctive balconies on the belfry "Espadaña (architecture)") and the church of Villaceid.[1] The oldest houses whose construction date is known, in Sosas del, are also from the century. Cumbral (1736) and Sabugo "Sabugo (Murias de Paredes)") (1777).[3]​.

contemporary era

In contrast to the stability of previous centuries, in which the general style of architecture remained without major changes, the century was characterized by the gradual appearance of construction elements other than traditional ones, frequently located in the most important population centers, such as Riello "Riello (León)"), in the homes of merchants, doctors, teachers and other professionals settled in the region.[13]​ The trend intensified starting in the 1960s due to three factors:

In the last decades of the century, studies began to be published that contributed to raising awareness of the importance of traditional architecture for the cultural heritage.[15]​ In the century, interest in the rehabilitation of buildings following traditional guidelines has increased, with support from the Provincial Council of León.[16]​.

Walls

The construction of the primitive Omañesa house begins with a trench for the foundations on which unhewn stone walls are built, filled with clay and, sometimes, lime and sand. Schist, a type of rock abundant in the region, predominates as material,[14]​ although in the Valdesamario valley the use of adobe is observed in the upper part of the walls, as is characteristic in more southern regions. As the wall is erected, holes are left in it - called michinales or bichinales - to insert the support beams for the scaffolding.[3]​ In the simplest buildings the masonry may be visible, but it is often whitewashed. Although rounded corners are found in some houses,[14] there are many rectangular corners made up of blocks of slate and quartz interlocked in such a way that the final stone of a row is sandwiched between the lower and upper rows of the adjacent wall. In the most elaborate houses, the joints of the walls are made of ashlar.[3]​ In many towns there are buildings with a family coat of arms adorning the wall.

Ceiling

The roof is normally gabled. The traditional armor is made of wood from species common in the region, such as poplar, birch or oak. The beams located on the walls on which the rest of the weapons rest are called sleepers or abutments. On both ends and in between are the scissors, triangular structures composed of two trusses forming an angle, held below by a brace that extends between the sleepers. The summit or row rests on the vertices of the scissors. The "cantiaos" connect the summit with the sleepers and on them the cangos were arranged, tied with wicker poles or the llatas or shingles, depending on whether the cover was vegetal or not.[n. 2]​ They are also found with three or four-sided roofs. Gabled roofs sometimes appear with a highlighted and stepped header that continues the load-bearing wall.[3]​.

Until the 19th century, the usual cover was made of rye tops, the main cereal crop in the region.[17] The tops were obtained by crushing the rye with a "piertigo" or flail, a technique that, unlike machine threshing, allowed the obtaining of straw of sufficient length. The bundles of cuelmo, tied with shorter straws called civillas, were arranged on the framework in rows tied to the cangos. The progressive abandonment of the centennial lands as a consequence of emigration was also an important factor in the gradual disappearance of the teitos, as there was no

the raw material for repair. Those that are preserved are usually covered with fiber cement. In homes, tile and slab have replaced straw. The tile is more common in the south and east of the region, while the slab predominates in the western part. The tile sits on a layer of clay that covers the shingles. The slabs are

They nail directly to the shingles.[3]​.

Doors, windows and corridors

The access doors to the patio of the house are wide, so that cars can pass through them. They normally have two leaves, made with wooden planks with nails and wrought iron with handles, the simplest version of which are round forged rings attached to a metal plate attached to the wood. The access doors to homes and auxiliary buildings are narrower and have a single leaf. Many times they incorporate a large upper window, which can

manage to horizontally divide the door in two, allowing interior lighting and ventilation. The markings around the doors are made of retouched stone or wood in older houses, while those built later in the century usually have brick jambs and lintels.[18]​[3]​.

The windows are small in size and simple in construction. They frequently open in the wall framed by a simple wooden fence, although sometimes they are highlighted with carved or semi-carved stones and even brick. In the cellars and stables there are very small vents made with two stones and a slab. Although there are examples of blind carpentry without glass, especially in barns and auxiliary buildings, this is more common in balconies, where the upper part is usually glazed and the lower part blind with panels. The protective parapets of the balconies are normally made with cut boards or with

bars attached to the wooden fence.[18]​.

The corridors are a very characteristic architectural element in the two-story homes in the region.[14] They are normally arranged along the longest wall not facing north and are protected in their upper part by the flight of the roof. The corridors are supported at the bottom with support beams or vertical supports. In most cases they are open and often one of the sides has a staircase through which you can access the house, especially when they open onto an interior corral. There are also examples of closed corridors, usually with wood and glass,[18]​ or sometimes, in houses renovated during the 19th century, using more modern materials and solutions.[3]​.

The subsidiary architecture constitutes a reflection, on the one hand, of the autarky that characterized the economy in the region and by which the inhabitants produced an important part of their daily sustenance and, on the other, of the importance of livestock. Thus, there are examples of ovens, mills, haystacks, stables, apiaries, and huts and cabins in the brañas to house the shepherds, although the latter are in smaller numbers than in Babia and Laciana.[19]​ Unlike in these regions, no granaries are preserved, with Los Bayos, in the northwestern end of the region, being the last town where there was evidence of their existence in the 19th century.[20]​ Some houses have wells, similar to those found in La Cepeda "La Cepeda (León)"), protected with a roof. "Palomar (birds)") dovecotes are preserved in the eastern part of the region, in Villaceid and Bonella, similar to those found in Luna.[21]​.

Many of these auxiliary buildings are in a poor state of conservation, having stopped being used for their primary function as the region has become depopulated, and because their construction is generally of poorer quality than that of the buildings dedicated to human habitation.

The family home brings together all the resources necessary to house animals and the preparation and storage of food for animal and human consumption (bread bin, smoke stove, storage room, wine cellar, etc.). A distinction is made between a stable, a court and a stable, intended for housing large livestock, small livestock and horses respectively. The house and associated buildings are arranged around a corral or patio fenced with mud or stone. The house can be one or two floors and is normally accessed from the corral; In two-story houses with a corridor, it is common for the access door to open to it. The houses are separated by narrow alleys and grouped in groups of 12-14, although in larger towns they can number several dozen.[22]​.

The kitchen is the main room, due to the presence in it of the hearth "Home (fire)") or llar, which once made it the center of family life. In the original house the hearth was located in the center or attached to the wall and was made of slab with a wooden surround; Above, there were the pregancias, chains from which the cauldrons used to prepare the meals were hung, and a "pergola" or cover of wicker, wood or slab that served to prevent the sparks from the fire from igniting the teito. Around the hearth, the furniture was arranged, consisting of "Escaño (furniture)" seats, sometimes used as beds, seats and various sideboards and closets. From the kitchen there is access to one or more rooms, originally separated by wooden or wicker partitions and intended solely for resting and storing food. Chimneys began to appear relatively late, with an opening in the roof fulfilling their function first.[3] It is unusual for this division of interior space to persist in rehabilitated homes.