Dry Stone Walling
Traditional craftsmanship throughout Austria, inscribed 2021
The craft of dry stone walling has been documented in writing in Austria since the 12th century and is also reflected in relevant landscape paintings. Historically, this practice employed locally sourced stones and was brought to bear in a variety of (mostly agricultural) contexts, such as terraced vineyards, enclosures on Alpine meadows, stables and barns, forest roads, railway construction, etc. Today, dry stone walls still embody an important component of the cultural landscape and architecture.
Dry stone walling involves stacking stones so that they are connected without employing any other materials, besides dry earth in some cases. The stones’ careful selection and placement ensures the stability of the structures. Dry stone wall constructions have been instrumental in shaping the character of numerous different landscapes and have given rise to various types of dwelling, farming, and animal husbandry. Dry stone walls are a testimony of the resource-efficient use of locally available construction materials. They are also the result of the established practice of generating and maintaining agricultural land for growing vines or planting orchards on what is often steep terrain. The craft, which was predominantly passed on within families orally, was increasingly forgotten about after the Second World War due to mechanisation. In the past couple of decades, it has once again become more widespread: in particular, winemakers are returning to using dry stone walls rather than employing other construction materials. Thanks to the efforts made by cultural and winegrowing associations, landscaping companies, school projects, communal gardens, university courses, other types of training, and collaboration with other countries in which it is practiced, knowledge about dry stone walling continues to be kept alive.
Due to the local origin of the stones and the regional creation of value (work, materials), dry stone walling is a particularly sustainable method of construction. It also contributes to species diversity by supporting a rich biotope within a small space and providing an active habitat for certain types of animals.
Contact
Downloads
- Application form (in German only) 2 MB (pdf)
- Expertise (in German only) Kräfter 2 MB (pdf)
- Expertise (in German only) Ellmauer 1 MB (pdf)
Gallery
© Rainer Vogler
