Rondavel

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Rondavel in the highlands of Lesotho

Rondavel (from Afrikaans Rondawel ; in Sesotho also mokhoro ; German also round hut ) is a typical house shape in southern Africa . It has a circular plan and is usually covered with reed-like grass.

description

A cone-shaped roof is located on the approximately 1.5 meter high cylindrical structure. The diameter is about 3.6 to 6 meters. The walls are made of local materials, such as sandstone or basalt . In wooded areas, the walls can also be built from vertical poles. A mixture of sand, clay and dried cattle manure is usually used as the mortar . A mixture of clay and dried cattle manure makes the soil hard and smooth. The windows are mostly small. The roof consists of a slightly overhanging layer of grass about 15 centimeters thick. It is attached to poles that run as rafters from all sides to the highest point of the roof. The rafters are connected by purlins ; there is no false ceiling. In many cases, the walls are plastered with clay on one or both sides. Occasionally the outside is painted or decorated with scratching techniques.

The house consists of a single room. Light only falls through the door and - if available - small windows into the hut. There is often a fireplace in the middle. Rondavels are often combined with other huts on a plot of land, sometimes with a different type of construction.

In Botswana there are rondavels with porch-like stems. The South African Ndebele are known to paint their rondavels lavishly and colorfully.

The construction costs are low due to the local materials. Another advantage is the good thermal insulation , especially on cold days.

  • Roof from below

  • Rondavel in Lesotho

  • Rondavel in Mahalapye , Botswana

Occurrence

Rondavels can be found throughout southern Africa. Specially built rondavels are also offered as accommodation for tourists; they are often adapted to their habits, for example through larger windows.

There are similarly built houses with a circular floor plan in other parts of Africa , for example on the African Great Lakes , and on other continents.

Web links

Commons : Rondavel  - collection of images

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Description of traditional rondavels in South Africa at oaktrust.library.tamu.edu (English; PDF), accessed on September 12, 2015
  2. ↑ a b c d entry African Architecture at britannica.com , accessed on September 12, 2015