Casa de Ferro – Maputo, Mozambique - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

Casa de Ferro

Maputo, Mozambique

This prefabricated building was built in Belgium and shipped to Mozambique but was never inhabited, since its iron exterior was unsuitable for the tropical environment.  

View all photos
Iron House in Maputo Alexander Leisser / CC BY-SA 4.0
Left: Iron House in Maputo Alexander Leisser / CC BY-SA 4.0
Right: Rene Calusen Nielsen (Creative Commons)
Rene Calusen Nielsen (Creative Commons)
11
12
Top Places in Mozambique
The Grande Hotel in 1955
Grande Hotel of Beira
Beira, Mozambique
Maputo Natural History Museum
Maputo, Mozambique
The Lion House
Gorongosa, Mozambique
 See All
This entry is a stub
Help improve Atlas Obscura by expanding Casa de Ferro with additional information or photos.

The iron house was built in Belgium in 1892 and is said to have been designed by Gustave Eiffel or one of his associates. The house was built for the then-governor of Mozambique, but the politician never actually used it due to the hot climate. (Another iron house can be found in Iquitos, Peru, also supposedly designed by Eiffel.)

Over the years, the iron house has been used for a number of different government offices. Currently, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism uses the house. It is free to visit and is located next to the Maputo Botanical Garden.  

metal architectural oddities architecture
Community Contributors
l
Added by
laemcmillan
Published
July 3, 2024
Edit this listing
Make an Edit Add Photos
Nearby
Maputo Natural History Museum
0.70 miles
Sibebe Rock
89.16 miles
Adam's Calendar
115 miles
Want to see fewer ads? Become a Member.
Near This Place
Maputo Natural History Museum
Maputo, Mozambique

Maputo Natural History Museum

From neon green watering holes to bleached elephant foetuses, this Mozambique museum makes natural history weird.
Sibebe Rock
Mbabane, Eswatini

Sibebe Rock

This granite mountain is the largest rock in Africa and the second-largest monolith in the world.
Adam's Calendar from above
Ehlanzeni, South Africa

Adam's Calendar

Hidden in the hills is a mysterious stone structure, known only to a few.
Nhlagano, Eswatini

British Royal Party Platform

This dais was said to be a remote toilet built for the convenience of the British Royal Party on their brief, and only, visit to this small African nation in 1947. But is the story true?
Related Places
Iquitos, Peru

Casa de Fierro

This iron building in the Amazon allegedly shares an architect with the Eiffel Tower.
Bath and North East Somerset, England

Bailbrook Mission Tin Church

This overgrown Victorian chapel made of corrugated metal looks utterly out of place.
Hereford, England

Black and White House Museum

This iconic Tudor home-turned-museum offers a unique glimpse into the everyday life of a prosperous family during the early modern period.
Copenhagen, Denmark

The V House

This striking structure, with balconies jutting out like hedgehog spines, combine cutting-edge design with a playful approach to light and space.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

From Around the Web