Aït Benhaddou – a striking example of the architecture of southern Morocco – is a fortified mud-brick also called a ksar, on the edge of the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco. It is situated in Souss-Massa-Drâa on a hill along the Ounila River. Aït Benhaddou has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and several films, such as Lawrence of Arabia, The Mummy, Gladiator, Alexander, Babel, Kingdom of Heaven and Prince of Persia have been shot there as well as some scenes from Game of Thrones. Today, although only inhabited by around half-a-dozen families, visitors are attracted by the number and variety of its kasbahs (mud-built structures), some of which are thought to date back to the sixteenth century.
The Ksar has a high defensive earthen wall with angle towers and baffle gate, surrounding a remarkable ensemble of dwellings, with narrow alleys climbing the hillside. There is also communal areas that include a mosque, a public square, a loft and two cemeteries. Some of the homes of the wealthy traders are grand multi-storey structures with quite elaborate decorative motifs and angular corner towers resembling small castles. On the top of the hill there is large fortified granary, or agadir.
Historically, traders carrying spices, slaves, and gold on the Sahara Trade Route passed by Aït Benhaddou and its Ksours on their way to Timbuktu or the Western Sahara. Today, the old trade route is no longer in use and the Kasbahs have turned into a popular tourist destination. The village of Aït Benhaddou is divided in two parts. The modern part is filled with tourist shops and parking spaces. Upon crossing the Oued (dry riverbed), you will enter into the Ksar, the real highlight.
The architectural style of the buildings are well preserved because the earthen structures were build to adapt to the climatic conditions of the environment, however it does need regular maintenance since its abandonment by most of its inhabitants (10 families still live inside the ksar). Today, under the protection of CERKAS (Centre for the conservation and rehabilitation of the architectural heritage of atlas and sub-atlas zones) the site is able to maintain its authenticity. Various workshops are held where local local people are taught how to maintain the site and various management committees have been established.
