A UNESCO World Heritage Ksar
The trip to Marrakech M’hamid El Ghizlane leads us near the Ksar Ait Ben Haddou (30 minutes of additional journey). The visit (free) is made on simple request to the driver.
The trip to Marrakech M’hamid El Ghizlane leads us near the Ksar Ait Ben Haddou (30 minutes of additional journey). The visit (free) is made on simple request to the driver.
Located in the foothills of the southern slopes of the High Atlas in the province of Ouarzazate, the site of Ait-Ben-Haddou is the most famous ksar of the valley of Ounila. The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou is a striking example of southern Moroccan architecture. The ksar is a group of mainly collective housing. Inside the defensive walls reinforced by corner towers and pierced by a chicane door, the houses gather – some modest, others resembling small urban castles with their tall towers and their upper parts adorned with clay brick patterns – but community areas. It is an extraordinary set of buildings offering a complete panorama of construction techniques in pre-Saharan land. The oldest buildings do not seem to be older than the 17th century, although their structure and technique spread very early in the valleys of southern Morocco. The site was also one of the many trading posts on the trade route linking the former Sudan to Marrakech by the Dra Valley and the Tizi-n’Telouet pass. Architecturally, living quarters form a compact, closed and suspended group. The community areas of Ksar include a mosque, a public square, ceremonial threshing grounds outside the walls, a fortification and an attic at the top of the village, a caravanserai, two cemeteries (Muslim and Jewish) and the shrine of the Saint Sidi Ali or Amer. The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou is a perfect synthesis of the earthen architecture of the pre-Saharan regions of Morocco.
The ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou is a prominent example of ksar in southern Morocco illustrating the main types of earthen constructions observable in the seventeenth century in the valleys of Dra, Todgha, Dadès and Souss. Criterion (v): The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou illustrates the traditional earthen habitat, representing the culture of southern Morocco, which has become vulnerable as a result of irreversible socio-economic and cultural changes Integrity (2009) All the structures composing the ksar are located within the boundaries of the property and the buffer zone protects its environment. The earthen buildings are very vulnerable because of the lack of maintenance and regular repairs resulting from the abandonment of ksar by its inhabitants. The CERKAS (Center for the Conservation and Rehabilitation of the Architectural Heritage of the Atlas and Sub-Atlas Zones) monitors, with difficulty, respect the visual integrity of the property. Compared to other ksour in the region, Ksar Ait-Ben-Haddou has retained its architectural authenticity in terms of configuration and materials. The architectural style is well preserved and the earth constructions are perfectly adapted to the climatic conditions and in harmony with the natural and social environment.
Located in the foothills of the southern slopes of the High Atlas in the province of Ouarzazate, the site of Ait-Ben-Haddou is the most famous ksar of the valley of Ounila. The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou is a striking example of southern Moroccan architecture. The ksar is a group of mainly collective housing. Inside the defensive walls reinforced by corner towers and pierced by a chicane door, the houses gather – some modest, others resembling small urban castles with their tall towers and their upper parts adorned with clay brick patterns – but community areas. It is an extraordinary set of buildings offering a complete panorama of construction techniques in pre-Saharan land. The oldest buildings do not seem to be older than the 17th century, although their structure and technique spread very early in the valleys of southern Morocco. The site was also one of the many trading posts on the trade route linking the former Sudan to Marrakech by the Dra Valley and the Tizi-n’Telouet pass. Architecturally, living quarters form a compact, closed and suspended group. The community areas of Ksar include a mosque, a public square, ceremonial threshing grounds outside the walls, a fortification and an attic at the top of the village, a caravanserai, two cemeteries (Muslim and Jewish) and the shrine of the Saint Sidi Ali or Amer. The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou is a perfect synthesis of the earthen architecture of the pre-Saharan regions of Morocco.
The ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou is a prominent example of ksar in southern Morocco illustrating the main types of earthen constructions observable in the seventeenth century in the valleys of Dra, Todgha, Dadès and Souss. Criterion (v): The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou illustrates the traditional earthen habitat, representing the culture of southern Morocco, which has become vulnerable as a result of irreversible socio-economic and cultural changes Integrity (2009) All the structures composing the ksar are located within the boundaries of the property and the buffer zone protects its environment. The earthen buildings are very vulnerable because of the lack of maintenance and regular repairs resulting from the abandonment of ksar by its inhabitants. The CERKAS (Center for the Conservation and Rehabilitation of the Architectural Heritage of the Atlas and Sub-Atlas Zones) monitors, with difficulty, respect for the visual integrity of the property. Compared to other ksour in the region, Ksar Ait-Ben-Haddou has retained its architectural authenticity in terms of configuration and materials. The architectural style is well preserved and the earth constructions are perfectly adapted to the climatic conditions and in harmony with the natural and social environment.
