The Stone house, Stone building in Fafe Mountains, Portugal
The Stone House is a residential building in Fafe's mountains, built between four massive granite boulders that serve as its foundation, walls, and roof. The interior contains a kitchen, living room, and bedrooms connected by wooden stairs.
The house was built in 1974 by engineer Guimarães as a family retreat in the mountains. It later became a small regional museum, opening this unusual construction to visitors.
The building shows how mountain dwellers create homes by turning natural rock formations into living spaces, merging shelter with the landscape itself. This approach to construction reveals an old way of thinking about how people belong to their surroundings.
The house is reached by walking a mountain path with uneven ground that can be muddy or wet. Sturdy shoes are recommended, and it helps to ask locals beforehand for directions since the path is not clearly marked.
The house has no electrical connections and operates completely independent of modern utilities, despite wind turbines standing nearby. This deliberate absence of electricity preserves an older way of living right alongside modern infrastructure.
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