Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou - Marrakech , Morocco
Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou is a historic ighrem or ksar (fortified village) along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in Morocco. It is considered a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.The UNESCO-listed Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou (Ksar of Ait Benhaddou) is one of Morocco’s most impressive historic landmarks and a popular film location for Hollywood movies. Sculpted from traditional mud bricks and fortified by walls of dark red pisé, this kasbah lies on the old trans-Saharan trade route, at the border of the High Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert.The site of the ksar has been fortified since the 11th century during the Almoravid period.
The site's strategic importance was due to its location in the Ounila Valley along one of the main trans-Saharan trade routes.
The Tizi n'Tichka pass, which was reached via this route, was one of the few routes across the Atlas Mountains, crossing between Marrakech and the Dra'a Valley on the edge of the Sahara.
Pictures :
_(30765760583)_(cropped_to_focus_on_old_town).jpg "Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou - Marrakech , Morocco Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou is a historic ighrem or ksar (fortified village) along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in Morocco. It is considered a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. The UNESCO-listed Kasbah of Aït Ben Haddou (Ksar of Ait Benhaddou) is one of Morocco’s most impressive historic landmarks and a popular film location for Hollywood movies. Sculpted from traditional mud bricks and fortified by walls of dark red pisé, this kasbah lies on the old trans-Saharan trade route, at the border of the High Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert. The site of the ksar has been fortified since the 11th century during the Almoravid period. The site's strategic importance was due to its location in the Ounila Valley along one of the main trans-Saharan trade routes. The Tizi n'Tichka pass, which was reached via this route, was one of the few routes across the Atlas Mountains, crossing between Marrakech and the Dra'a Valley on the edge of the Sahara.")
