Description

​The Sancedo Town Hall has carried out the documentation and restoration of the cortines in the Rigo valley, traditional stone structures built to protect beehives from predators such as bears. This project is part of initiatives to enhance the local heritage, alongside the recovery of ancient iron mines and the signage of thematic routes. 

The study identified 11 cortines within the Sancedo area and evidence of others possibly in the San Vicente area (municipality of Arganza). Cleaning and clearing works were carried out, as well as a documentary analysis that confirmed the historical importance of beekeeping in the region, with references in archives such as the Catastro de Ensenada (1752), which already mentioned the existence of beehives in Ocero. 

The cortines are characterized by their circular or oval shape, dry stone walls, and wooden structures (truébanos) to house the beehives. Their location on sunny slopes near watercourses reflects functional and protective criteria. This project strengthens the conservation of ethnographic and natural heritage, promoting rural tourism in the area.