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The Iron House of Maputo

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Posted on Fri, Nov 07 2014 18:36:08

Originally built on Avenida Josina Machel, and is currently located near the botanical garden Jardim Tunduru, Casa de Ferro - the Iron House is one of the most unusual and fascinating buildings in Maputo. It was designed the famous Gustave Eiffel, the engineer who designed the world-famous Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty in New York. 

From the title you might guess that the roof, the walls, the ceilings, the stairs and the balconies of the house are made entirely of iron. The construction of the Iron House was completed in 1892 by the order of the colonial governor from Belgium. The place was supposed to be the residence of the Governor General of Mozambique, but due to the hot and humid subtropical climate it was impossible to live in it. Instead, the Iron House was used as a courthouse, then as a college, and even later - as a business office. In 1974 the building was transported from its original location to the existing. Since then, the Iron House was rented out  many times. Today it is used by the National Agency for Cultural Heritage. 

The idea to build a house of iron in the country with such a hot climate seems quite insane. If you are inside in the daytime  you feel as if you were inside of an oven – the walls radiate an unbelievable heat (in fact, if this was a country with a cold climate, you would probably feel like in a giant freezer). However, at that time the unusual design was what the original clients were looking for,  and how practical the building was to live in was disregarded. One way or another, Gustave Eiffel was able to impress everyone once again. The Iron House is, indeed, Maputo's unique business card.

Gallery: The Iron House of Maputo

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Read more about Mozambique off the beaten path
Find more off the beaten path near: Beira

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