Living in a mud brick structure, homes may frighten people living in western world, still these mud brick structures were considered as a prime material for building houses primarily in rural remote areas. Durability factor of these mud bricks structure were always questioned by people but surprisingly few of the structures stood even for thousands of years.
Top 10 Mud Brick Structures Of the World
Following is a list of top 10 mud brick structures which are truly magnificent and stood by the test of time.
1. Siwa Oasis, Egypt
This building was build to give relief to the desert travelers with lake.
2. Shibam, Yemen
The collection of buildings are also called as “Manhattan of the desert”. These are 16th century apartments made up of mud bricks.
3. Aït Benhaddou, Ouarzazate
Very popular mud brick structure covered in the movies like Lawrence of Arabia & Gladiator is an ancient city made up on mud brick. It was popular place for travelers offering hotels and shopping destinations.
4. Bobo Dioulasso Grand Mosque, Burkina Faso, Africa
It is a famous mosque made up of mud bricks but currently it is under renovation and cement is being used to protect it against test of time.
5. Great Mosque of Djenné, Mali
Built in 13th century, this mud brick mosque building is considered as the largest mud brick structure in the world.
6. Khiva Wall, Uzbekistan
Built more than 2500 years ago by Shem (Noah’s Oldest son). Ichon – Quala (walls) is a collection of madarshah’s (Islamic schools) and mosques. Same clay was used to build this structure which was used to build Medina by Hz. Mohammad.
7. Arg-é Bam, Iran
This mud brick citadel was built in 224-636 AD by palm trunks and clay soil. It was a trading center for famous silk road but the 2003 earthquake have destroyed more than half of the structures.
8. Chan Chan, Peru
These mud buildings were built by the Chimu kings and they use to live within the citadel. Chemu people were adept potters, metallurgists and woodworkers who used to live outside the walls. Only royal people were allowed to live within the walls.
9. Djinguereber Mosque, Timbuktu, Mali
Built in 1325 Djinguereber is the made up of straw and mud has reminiscent of American Viga structures.
10. Taos Pueblo, New Mexico
Taos Pueblo is an ancient dwellings, continuously inhabited for about 1,000 years by the Pueblo native people. The homes are made of sun dried mud bricks, which are coated with an adobe plaster. Southwestern adobe is made of clay soil called caliche, mixed with straw for added strength.
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