Rova (Madagascar)

A rova is a fortified royal complex built in the central highlands of Madagascar by Merina of the Andriana (noble) class. The first rova was established at Alasora by king Andriamanelo around 1540 to protect his residence throughout a war with the neighboring Vazimba. Rovas are organized according to traditional symbolic notions of space and enclose the royal residences, the tomb of the founder, and a town square marked with a stone. They are protected with walls, trenches and stone gateways and are planted with fig trees symbolic of royalty.

By the 15th century the Merina ethnic group from the southeastern coast had gradually migrated into the central highlands where they established hilltop villages interspersed among existing Vazimba settlements ruled by local kings. King Andriamanelo (1540–1575), the son of Vazimba queen Rafohy and a man of the newly arrived Hova people originating in southeast Madagascar, ultimately led a series of military campaigns against the Vazimba that would eventually drive them from the Highlands, which he and his successors ruled as the Kingdom of Imerina. The conflict that defined his reign also produced many lasting innovations, including the development of fortified villages in the highlands and the establishment of a ruling class of nobles (andriana) in Andriamanelo's line.

The first rova was built by Andriamanelo around 1540 at Alasora, 15 km outside of Antananarivo. One of the oldest villages in Imerina, Alasora is believed to have been founded by Prince Ramasimparihy in 1490. Ruling from the neighboring hill of Imerimanjaka, Vazimba Queen Rangita (1500–1520) and her brother Andrianamponga gave the site its current name. Under Rangita's daughter, Queen Rafohy (1520–1540), the capital of the region was moved from Imerimanjaka to Alasora. Her son Andriamanelo added the defensive features of the site, and planted either side of the entry gate with aviavy (fig trees), symbolic of royalty. This rova town model was replicated throughout Imerina. Villages inhabited by the Andriana class typically contained a rova or palace compound.

...
Wikipedia