What this experience reveals
This experience turns the MOP guide into a practical route: understand the ksar, organise the visit and limit the impact on living heritage.
Documented highlights
- Earthen ksar
- Southern architecture
- Responsible visit
Aït-Ben-Haddou: visiting the ksar without damaging its heritage
The ksar of Aït-Ben-Haddou has been listed as a World Heritage Site since 1987. This group of earthen dwellings, surrounded by walls and reinforced with towers, illustrates the pre-Saharan architecture of southern Morocco. Its silhouette has also served as the backdrop for many film shoots, sometimes to the point of eclipsing its own history. The site is neither a frozen castle nor an abandoned studio. Some families still live there, the materials require constant maintenance and visitor numbers put pressure on it. A respectful visit begins with this reality. Understanding what a ksar is A ksar is a fortified group settlement. At Aït-Ben-Haddou, the rammed-earth buildings are arranged inside an…
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