History, construction characteristics and possible reuse of Spain's network of silos and granaries

The National Network of Silos and Granaries, where Spanish farmers once pooled and stored their wheat for sale to the State monopsony, was built in 1951-1990. Of the 952 storage units identified in this study, 670 are vertical or silos and 282 horizontal or granaries. With the phase-out of interventionist policies, both types gradually became redundant and were abandoned altogether after 2001. While the granaries are now being reused, the silos constitute an expense that the government is trying to elude by auctioning them off. This paper discusses the development and geographic distribution of grain storage units, focusing on the most prominent characteristics of 50 silos in the Castilla y León region and the changes in their condition over a 5 year period. The silos studied, located in major grain farming areas, grew in size and technological sophistication during the 40 years of network activity. The importance of these structures as part of Spain's agro-industrial heritage is stressed and the few instances in which they have been converted for use as museums, lookouts or theatres are described. Proposals pending implementation for their repurposing as restaurants, event and exhibition venues, offices, theatres or wildlife conservation sites are also discussed. The examples of such reuse found in other autonomous communities may be extrapolated to the silos in Castilla y León. The indicators analysed would appear to infer that such proposals or other similar projects are only feasible in villages with a certain threshold population.