Rumah Aceh
Encyclopedia
The Rumoh Aceh or Acehnese (traditional) house is a style of architecture formerly common in Aceh
, Indonesia
.
In Acehnese tradition, the house is oriented North-South. It has been suggested that this is a pre-Islamic Hindu practice, to avoid facing the setting sun and death. Acehnese now interpret that the gable
of their houses face Mecca
(west).
The Acehnese traditional house is built on stilts, providing shelter for people working or walking underneath it. Family heirlooms are stored in the roof of the house, considered the most sacred part of the building. The house is divided into a front and back, plus a middle section, slightly elevated above the front and back. The middle section contains the bedroom and storage space, the front is where guests and special meals are served, and the back section, containing the kitchen, is where children sleep and where women meet their female guests. In some Rumah Aceh, there are female stairs to the back section in addition to the main stairs at the front of the house.
) is a communal gathering place in Acehense villages, derived from the Arabic madrasah
. The meunasah serves as a religious building, for fulfilling the Islamic obligation of salat
and for studying the Koran, also as an elementary school for children. It is also a meeting house and a place for single people to sleep.
Aceh
Aceh is a special region of Indonesia, located on the northern tip of the island of Sumatra. Its full name is Daerah Istimewa Aceh , Nanggroë Aceh Darussalam and Aceh . Past spellings of its name include Acheh, Atjeh and Achin...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
.
In Acehnese tradition, the house is oriented North-South. It has been suggested that this is a pre-Islamic Hindu practice, to avoid facing the setting sun and death. Acehnese now interpret that the gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
of their houses face Mecca
Mecca
Mecca is a city in the Hijaz and the capital of Makkah province in Saudi Arabia. The city is located inland from Jeddah in a narrow valley at a height of above sea level...
(west).
The Acehnese traditional house is built on stilts, providing shelter for people working or walking underneath it. Family heirlooms are stored in the roof of the house, considered the most sacred part of the building. The house is divided into a front and back, plus a middle section, slightly elevated above the front and back. The middle section contains the bedroom and storage space, the front is where guests and special meals are served, and the back section, containing the kitchen, is where children sleep and where women meet their female guests. In some Rumah Aceh, there are female stairs to the back section in addition to the main stairs at the front of the house.
The meunasah
The meunasah (mosqueMosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
) is a communal gathering place in Acehense villages, derived from the Arabic madrasah
Madrasah
Madrasah is the Arabic word for any type of educational institution, whether secular or religious...
. The meunasah serves as a religious building, for fulfilling the Islamic obligation of salat
Salat
Salah is the practice of formal prayer in Islam. Its importance for Muslims is indicated by its status as one of the Five Pillars of Sunni Islam, of the Ten Practices of the Religion of Twelver Islam and of the 7 pillars of Musta'lī Ismailis...
and for studying the Koran, also as an elementary school for children. It is also a meeting house and a place for single people to sleep.