Museu de la Pedra en Sec - Atlas Obscura

Museu de la Pedra en Sec

Vilafranca, Spain

The only museum dedicated entirely to the dry stone walling technique.  

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In an effort to uphold the rich legacy and significance of the dry stone walling technique, the Ajuntament de Vilafranca took the initiative to establish the museum collection of the Museu de la Pedra en Sec back in 2006.

This specialized museum space, situated on the upper floor of the medieval Lonja dating back to the 14th century, offers visitors an educational journey into the realm of dry stone architecture. Through an array of informative panels, models, and immersive recreations, patrons gain insights into the technique itself, its various applications, and its historical context. As an added treat, the museum provides an exceptional vantage point affording one of the most panoramic views of the expansive Vega landscape, and has three related routes in the open to enjoy these constructions. 

Dry stone architecture stands as a testament to a bygone way of life, uniquely shaped by the local climate and terrain of these mountainous regions.

Employing stone, resourcefulness, and manual craftsmanship of anonymous skilled artisans comprising farmers and shepherds, who constructed an extensive network of dry stone walls, stretching across hundreds, and potentially thousands, of kilometers. These walls demarcated cultivated farmlands from thoroughfares, and in addition, they erected over a thousand huts and various water-related structures designed to endure periods of drought.

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August 25, 2023

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