11 Impressive Traditional Houses That You Can Visit (3 of 3)

9. Yurts, Inner Mongolia

For several millennia, these portable homes known as yurts have been perfectly suited for the nomadic lifestyle of Mongolian tribes. There are few houses in the world that have the distinct characteristics of the yurt, with its sloped roofs that are traditionally covered with animal pelts and contain a hole to allow smoke from the heating/cooking stove placed in the middle of the home to escape.

10. Rumah Gadang, Sumatra, Indonesia

The Minangkabau people of Indonesia called these impressively spiky roofed homes for hundreds of years, although these days they are more commonly used for ceremonial purposes. Rumah Gadang translates to “big house” and serves as a reflection of their maternalistic society.

11. Mudhif, Iraq

When visiting towns and villages in the marshes of southern Iraq and Iran, you’re bound to come across these traditional houses made of reeds. The Madan people have been living in these structures for hundreds of years. The bigger ones are maintained by tribal leaders who use them for ceremonies and as guest houses. The rest of the inhabitants live in smaller versions of these houses.