 During the 1995 fire, heat from the burning wooden structures within the Rova compound caused the stone tombs to explode, leaving the mortal remains of generations of Merina sovereigns to be consumed by the flames.Built by William Pool for Ranavalona II, Fiangonana ("Chapel") required eleven years to complete.The structure's foundation stone was laid on 20 July 1869, and its subsequent construction used over 35,000 hand-chiselled stones.