# Roofs in Guimarães: UNESCO historic centre, permits and fee exemption > Roofs in Guimarães, with sources: what the council requires in the UNESCO area, the fee exemption, the two ARUs and building age. - Page: https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roofs-guimaraes - Language: English - Updated: 2026-11-02 ## The roofs of Guimarães The Historic Centre of Guimarães has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001 (38.2 hectares, with a 129.4-hectare buffer zone). The statement of value published in the Official Gazette describes medieval construction with a granite ground floor and, above, a timber and taipa (rammed earth) structure, and stresses the consistent use of traditional materials and techniques. It does not speak specifically of tiles. On tiles we only have a 2012 dissertation (Universidade Lusófona do Porto), with case studies. It describes roofs that project over the street, with eaves carried on timber joists, and a recovered timber roof covered in canudo tile. These are studied cases, not the rule for every building. The municipality has 45,223 buildings in the 2021 Census: 17.6% from before 1961 and 78.5% built by 2000. 3.3% need deep repair. ## Buildings (INE Census 2021) - 45223 buildings counted in Guimarães - 17.6% built before 1961; 78.5% built up to 2000 - 3.3% with deep repair needs (whole building, not only the roof) - Antes de 1919: 1777 (3.9%) - 1919-1945: 2585 (5.7%) - 1946-1960: 3603 (8.0%) - 1961-1980: 11125 (24.6%) - 1981-1990: 8211 (18.2%) - 1991-2000: 8179 (18.1%) - 2001-2005: 4514 (10.0%) - 2006-2010: 3102 (6.9%) - 2011-2015: 795 (1.8%) - 2016-2021: 1332 (2.9%) Source: INE, Census 2021, indicator 0011482, updated 2022-11-12. CC BY. ## Rain, wind and sun IPMA does not publish a 1991-2020 normal for a station in Guimarães. The nearest station on the list is Braga / Merelim, and the values are Braga's, not Guimarães': 1,387.3 mm of rain a year and a 14.9 °C mean. They serve only as orientation. Guimarães lies between Braga and the inland hills, and the official 2013 climate zoning uses a reference of 1,653 heating degree-days at 426 m for the Ave region. It is a reference value, not the classification of a building. For the cold of a specific house, see the energy certificate. ## Houses and roofs - In the historic centre and the Zona de Couros there are 19 protected buildings (ten national monuments and nine of public interest). Any work on them needs an opinion from the heritage authority, according to the Official Gazette notice. - In granite and timber houses the eaves project over the street and rest on timber joists. When tile is replaced the timber beneath is what is most often lost: ask the contractor to check and photograph it. ## Rules and permits According to Guimarães council, in the area listed as World Heritage (Historic Centre and Zona de Couros) all urban operations, including maintenance works, need a licence. In the special protection zone, maintenance (restoration, repair, cleaning) needs no licence, but exterior alterations do. In a listed area the heritage authority is consulted. In the special protection zone the opinion usually comes from the CCDR Norte culture unit. The 1994 PDM (revised 2015) has regulations for the historic centre, but not for the buffer zone. We found no council rules on tile material or colour. https://www.cm-guimaraes.pt/areas-de-intervencao/urbanismo/reabilitacao-urbana/centro-historico-area-central-da-cidade-de-guimaraes ## Fee exemption and rehabilitation areas On 3 April 1997 the council resolved to waive fees on maintenance, improvement or restoration works on buildings in the Historic Centre (Local Technical Office area), on request, including occupying public space with scaffolding and hoarding. The council page, updated 7 October 2026, still presents the exemption as an incentive. The town has two rehabilitation areas: Historic Centre Intramuros and Adjacent Areas, and City Centre (from Rua D. João I to the Zona de Couros). Guimarães is not on the official lists of municipalities in calamity for storm Kristin. We found no data on damaged roofs. ## Sources - [Guimarães council, historic centre](https://www.cm-guimaraes.pt/areas-de-intervencao/urbanismo/reabilitacao-urbana/centro-historico-area-central-da-cidade-de-guimaraes) - [Aviso 6035/2024 (UNESCO, Zona de Couros)](https://diariodarepublica.pt/dr/detalhe/aviso/6035-2024-856341949) - [UNESCO, Historic Centre of Guimarães](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1031) - [Dissertation, Universidade Lusófona](https://recil.ulusofona.pt/handle/10437/3071) - [INE, Census 2021 (0011482)](https://www.ine.pt/ine/json_indicador/pindica.jsp?op=2&varcd=0011482&lang=EN) ## FAQ ### Do I need a permit to repair a roof in the historic centre of Guimarães? Yes. According to the council, in the listed area (Historic Centre and Zona de Couros) all urban operations, including maintenance, need a licence, with consultation of the heritage authority. In the special protection zone, maintenance needs no licence, but altering the exterior does. ### Is there a fee exemption for roof works in Guimarães? In the Historic Centre, a 1997 resolution waives fees on maintenance, improvement or restoration works, on request, including scaffolding and hoarding. The council still presents it as an incentive (page of 7 October 2026). ### What tile is on the old houses of Guimarães? UNESCO describes granite, timber and taipa, and does not speak of tiles. A 2012 dissertation describes, in studied cases, canudo tile and eaves on timber joists. We have no official rule on tile material or colour. ### What reference climate does Guimarães have? IPMA has no normal for Guimarães. The nearest station, Braga / Merelim, gives 1,387.3 mm of rain a year and 24.3 frost days, but those are Braga's values. --- Source: https://telhadoseguro.pt/en/roofs-guimaraes. Independent information, not legal or tax advice.