Affiliations
Cultural site
In Algeria, North Africa
Ghardaïa and the M'zab Valley in pictures.
The M'zab Valley is home to five fortified ksour, including Ghardaïa, founded by the Ibadi Mozabites between the 11th and 14th centuries. Each town climbs a hill in concentric tiers around a mosque whose minaret doubles as a watchtower, an urban design so admired it influenced modern architects like Le Corbusier. The pyramidal towns, palm groves and vivid souk make this UNESCO-listed valley one of the Sahara's most striking living settlements.
