masonry
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masonry
The entirety of the parts of a wall or building constructed from stone or brick and mortar. It refers to the construction and material of the walls.
Bei der Renovierung des alten Hauses wurde das historische Mauerwerk freigelegt.
During the renovation of the old house, the historic masonry was exposed.
The word is made up of 'Mauer' (wall) and 'Werk' (work). So it describes the 'Werk' (work) or construction that a wall or an entire building consists of.
Das alte Mauerwerk der Burg ist über 500 Jahre alt.
The old masonry of the castle is over 500 years old.
'Mauerwerk' (masonry) is a collective term for the entire stone construction. Therefore, it is almost always used in the singular, even when talking about the walls of a large building.
Das gesamte Mauerwerk des Kellers ist feucht und muss saniert werden.
The entire masonry of the cellar is damp and needs to be renovated.
In the context of renovation and construction, special verbs are often used with 'Mauerwerk' (masonry). Typical ones are 'sanieren' (to renovate), 'freilegen' (to expose; to remove the plaster), 'trockenlegen' (to dry out), and 'verputzen' (to plaster).
Die Architekten wollen das historische Mauerwerk im Wohnzimmer freilegen.
The architects want to expose the historic masonry in the living room.
wall
'die Wand' and 'das Mauerwerk' both have to do with buildings and solid surfaces. 'Wand' refers to the surface you see in a room or that borders a room. 'Mauerwerk' refers more to the construction method or the material behind it, that is, stones, bricks, and mortar. Learners may confuse the words because a wall can be made of masonry. In everyday language, people usually say 'Wand', for example when painting or arranging furniture. 'Mauerwerk' fits better when talking about construction, repairs, or damage to a building.
Nach dem starken Regen prüft ein Fachmann das Mauerwerk im Keller.
After the heavy rain, a specialist checks the masonry in the basement.
Im Wohnzimmer hängt ein großes Bild an der Wand.
There is a large picture hanging on the wall in the living room.