Catxirulos of Benaguasil
The “Catxirulos of Benaguasil” are small buildings made with dry stone, which served as a refuge for farmers in bad weather. They are usually small constructions. The floor areas range from 3.5 m to 35 m. Catxirulos are built of stone without mortar or cement, although some are reinforced with these materials. Most were built by the owners, using local materials. ] Etymology. The word “cachirulo” or “catxirulo”, in Benaguasil, only has the meaning of dry stone rustic retreat, usually covered with a false vault; this meaning is shared with other localities. However, in Valencian, the general meaning  of the word is comet or star. In Spanish, it also means: a container for liquor; a small boat with three masts; or ornaments with feathers and ribbons that women wore on their heads at the end of 18th century. In Aragonese it means a head scarf. The first documentation in Valencian is by José Escrig y Martínez, contained in the dictionary “Valenciano-Castellano” of 1851, where it says “Cagerul, Cagerulo, Cachirulo”: small boat with three sails. In Valencian it is also often applied to the “Barracas” or rustic rooms topped with a cone, and similar objects. Geographical extension. The  term is only used in areas that were formerly used for rain-fed crops such as carob, olive or vines. It is not used in any areas of irrigated orchards. It is found in the “partidas” of “Les Travesses, Els Cremats, Els Cabeços, La Cañada de Amorós, La Cañada de Mareta, El Pla de Lucas and El Pla de Paterna”. Construction technique. The catxirulo is made completely with dry stone, without ornaments. It is built in round, square and rectangular plans, not exceeding 1.5 meters in height and finished with a conical dome. The round form is the oldest; it  facilitates the starting point of the dome. With square or rectangular plans, the internal shape matches up with the external. The door was always away from the north and west. It is usually a simple lintel, a flat stone resting on pillars. Others have a two-segment arch, two inclined lintels at an angle on the side pillar, “in the barraca” as they say in Benaguasil. Also found are arches with elongated stones positioned radially. Interior works. Inside of the catxirulo we can find constructed several elements. The roof. A false dome was built using circular rows of successively smaller  diameter. Former cachirulos. According to plans dated 1928: