Discover the natural wonders of Ghardaia
Ghardaia is a town and wilaya (province) located in eastern Algeria. It is situated in the heart of the Mezab valley, which is the home of the Ibadi Muslim sect in Algeria. Ghardaia is truly a sight to see as the entire city is mostly made up of original medieval architecture that has been preserved remarkably well. The Mezab valley wherein Ghardaia lies is part of an official World Heritage Site.
The city is actually a cluster of five settlements that are built on the five highest hills of the Mezab valley. Each hill top is crowned by a lone towering minaret and the buildings seem to span out from them in narrow concentric circles. The majority of the houses on the sides of these hills are two stories high and each has its own courtyard, terraces and yards. The streets and houses seemed to be carved into the hillside in a way that makes them blend into the landscape. The whitewashed houses stand out against the blue sky and the reddish brown desert soil. Ghardaia is a perfect example of how homes can be built without defacing the beauty of nature.
Just on the other side of a wadi (dried river bed) lies Shibam. Quite the opposite of Ghardaia, Shibam is an exquisite display of quadrangular buildings and the fortified walls of day’s gone bye. Each building is unique and this stops the general scene from becoming monotonous. Buildings are made from adobe bricks and the roof is topped with lime for waterproofing. These building can tower up to 30 meters high! Despite their size, they are not designed to be ostentatious but rather to provide adequate housing for more than one family. Many of them are over five hundred years old. Shibam also has interesting mosques that are worth seeing.
Both Ghardaia and Shibam are suffering the effects of either depopulation or overpopulation. However they are rather unique - especially Ghardaia - and are well worth a visit. Make sure that you include these fabulously old and unusual cities in your tour of Algeria.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
- Takfarinas Captivates Audiences
- The History of the Pied-Noirs
- Qalat Ibn Salama and Ibn Khaldun
- The Unbelievably Talented Biyouna
- Exploring the Beauty of Algeria on a Bicycle
- Historical Wonders of Djemila
- Abdel Hadi Halo and the El Gusto Orchestra of Algiers
- The Unique Delight of Algerian Wine
- Explore Belezma National Park
- Gouraya Biosphere Reserve – Uniting Man and Nature
Recent Comments
No comment yet.
You need to be logged to comment this page.
Please Login or Register if you don't have an account.