9,573
edits
Changes
no edit summary
The word ''rova'' designates the group of royal houses constructed within a wooden wall which no one dared to enter as it was the residence of the sovereign having the earthy status of God the Creator and stemming from this, everything connected with him (his house, his personal belongings, his herds of zebus, the water he drank, etc.) was considered sacred and violation of the prohibitions was punishable by death.
=== Manjakamiadana ===
This great royal house in the Rova has become the symbol of royalty in Imerina.
It was Queen Ranavalona I (1828 - 1861) who conceived the idea of having this building, constructed entirely of rare wood, following an architecture differing from other existing houses, and which had only one single room and two openings: one door and one window. The palace of ''Manjakamiadana'' (where one rules in peace), as this was the name given by its owner, possesses two floors and attics, a large number of openings and the whole surrounded by a wooden balcony, which for that time was revolutionary.
In common with all wooden constructions, this palace rested on a central pillar, a giant palisander trunk 39 metres high and this piece of wood was, according to some, brought up from the forests of the southeast, and to others from the forest of the east by ten thousand men. The sovereign had the right to call on her subjects to accomplish difficult tasks. These forced labourers were not paid for the work exacted by the sovereign but received rice and zebu meat from the royal herds for the duration of their labour.
As at this time wheeled vehicles did not yet exist, this trunk of wood was carried by foot on the backs of labourers as it could not touch the ground.
The construction of this palace began in 1839 and the surveyor was [[Jean Laborde]] who deployed all his genius in marrying traditional Malagasy and European styles by the sole use of wood. He created galleries, three huge superimposed halls each having an area of 360 square metres. In the enormous ground floor he set out the magnificent throne room with precious woods and on the 48 metres high roof ridge placed a bronze eagle with wings spread as the symbol of royal power. From this time on the palace of Manjakamiadana riveted the attention as if it was the Rova's only royal house and to such a degree that the entire group of buildings was designated under the name of ''Queen's Palace''. Although next to it was the Manampisoa house built by Queen Rasoherina eclipsed by the majesty of the grand palace.
== Additional Information ==
* View all [[Manjakamiadana Rova photos]]
