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Dry stone walls have been included in Austria's UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. This type of terrace construction is particularly well known in the wine-growing region of Wachau, where dry stone walls support more than 40 percent of the vineyards with almost three million square metres. With dry stone walls, the stones are placed directly on top of each other without any connecting material. This ancient craft experienced a renaissance, as landscape conservation and environmental protection are important components of the time-consuming construction and repair work. The walls, interspersed with many crevices and caves, provide a perfect habitat for a variety of plants and animals. Besides maintaining a humus layer, they store water and heat and have a positive effect on the microclimate in the vineyard.
Terraces built with dry stone walls are often the only way to gain cultivable land on steep slopes. In Austria they have been documented since the 12th century.
(al / Photo: Vinea Wachau - Pamela Schmatz)