What is a yurt? Where does it come from?

The yurt, also called Mongolian Ger, is a traditional home of nomads from Asia. There are two types of yurts based on the country of origin: the Mongolian and the Kyrgyz. They differ in small structural details.

The Mongolian yurt has existed for over 2000 years. It is characterized by its ability to be assembled and disassembled. Mongolian nomads change places of life every season to feed their livestock. It is therefore often dismantled and rebuilt in another place.

Traditional composition

The yurt is composed of:

• several walls that form the round shape,
• a wooden door,
• a large number of poles that form the frame of the house forming a magnificent decoration in the sun,
• two central pillars, in the middle of which it is traditionally placed the wood stove, a circle on the roof (toono) that allows the discharge of the stove and the light of day,
• a felt insulation very effective against the cold and the heat that surrounds the whole structure,
• a cotton fabric placed under felt-tip pen.

Location

The yurt is a family home where all generations live together. It includes a single room oriented around the central stove, where children, parents and sometimes grandparents gather to live, eat, sleep, pray… The beds/benches are arranged in a circle against the wall, a low table often offers the possibility of being installed to eat, an altar for prayer and the veneration of ancestors is traditionally located opposite the door.

Below you can find opportunities related to building or living in a yurt: