The “Art of Dry-Stone Construction in the Serra do Caramulo” has been inscribed in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage and is under urgent safeguarding.
The announcement, published in the Diário da República (the official gazette), highlights “the importance of the Art of Dry-Stone Construction as a reflection of the identity of the communities in the Serra do Caramulo—the groups and individuals who practice it”—as well as its “historical, social, and cultural dimension within the territory where it is found.”
It also underscores the “need to protect and promote the contexts in which this knowledge and expertise are passed on, as these are currently facing significant risks and threats to their continuity.”
This inscription results from an initiative led by the municipality of Tondela, joined by the municipalities of Vouzela, Oliveira de Frades, and Mortágua (in the Viseu district), as well as Águeda (in the Aveiro district)—all of which encompass parts of the Serra do Caramulo.
The announcement stresses the “urgency of developing safeguarding measures to ensure the future viability of this craft, while also empowering and valuing the associated communities, groups, and individuals.”
Another advocated measure is integrating this craft with “the requirements for sustainable development in the region, while respecting the rights, freedoms, and guarantees of all those involved.”
Carla Antunes Borges, Mayor of Tondela, explained that the municipality features “dry-stone structures in many places: in walls that delineate small agricultural plots, in hay barns and granaries, and even in houses located in the centres of our villages.”
“We also see dry-stone construction in the irrigation channels and conduits that bring water to many tracts of land in the Serra do Caramulo. Dry-stone construction is a hallmark of the territory’s identity,” she emphasised. According to the mayor, work must now be carried out “not only to safeguard this ancestral knowledge,” but also “to rehabilitate regenerative architecture and ensure the sustainability of the territory and the landscape.”
The Tondela Municipal Council now intends to pursue inclusion of Caramulo’s dry-stone construction tradition on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity—a designation established in 2018 that currently includes Cyprus, Croatia, Slovenia, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, and Switzerland.
This craft is the third cultural expression from the municipality of Tondela, in the Viseu district, to be inscribed in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage, following the Festa das Cruzes do Guardão (January 2025) and the production process of Barro Negro (black pottery) from Molelos (April 2025).
“These three inscriptions demonstrate the effort and commitment the municipal administration has invested in safeguarding and promoting—both locally and internationally—our most authentic traditions and cultural expressions, which are an integral part of Tondela’s DNA,” stated Carla Antunes Borges.