Medieval Spanish Ghost Town Becomes Self-sufficient Ecovillage

“It’s a utopian fantasy- discover a ghost town and rebuild it in line with your ideals-, but in Spain where there are nearly 3000 abandoned villages (most dating back to the Middle Ages), some big dreamers have spent the past 3 decades doing just that.

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Lava Rock Houses

Lava rock house with thatched roof in Cheju Island
Lava rock house with thatched roof in Cheju Island

We’ve covered earthbag houses made with lava rock/scoria in great detail. (Use the search engine on the right if you’re a new reader.) For fun, let’s take a look at a few stone houses made of mortared lava rock. The construction process is obviously completely different, but both enjoy the benefits of lightweight, insulating, fireproof and bug proof volcanic rock. Stone houses typically have exceptionally long lifespans

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Hand-built Stone Houses

Old stone house in the Ozarks
Old stone house in the Ozarks

I love old stone houses. Old stone houses like in these photos can be found in older, quiet neighborhoods from a bygone era. Many of them were owner-built or built by small companies. Most are fairly small, well made and built to last. Many stone houses last for hundreds of years. Every stone is unique, as the stones naturally vary in color, size and texture. The end result is often very beautiful.

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Stone Facing

Getting the plaster on an earthbag wall nice and flat can be quite challenging. You can save plaster work by covering the rough plaster with stone. You can buy flat stone facing. This is sandstone. Or you can get stone from out on the prairie or up in the mountains. You want flat stone that … Read more