Description of the attraction
Valley of Mzab - existing from the X century. the area of the settlement of Muslim Ibadis has not changed to this day. The architecture of the Mzab area is best adapted to the surrounding conditions. The attraction is located in the Sahara Desert, 600 km south of Algeria. Five ksurs (towns) of the Mzab valley form a monotonous ensemble representing an example of an ancient urban civilization. This original culture with its own laws and characteristics has been preserved over the centuries.
Composed of palm groves and ksurs El Etteuf, Bounor, Melika, Gardaye and Beni Isguyen (founded between 1012 and 1350), the Mzab Valley has preserved the 11th century lifestyle and construction techniques. They have stood the test of time, perfectly adapted to conduct constant defense against enemies. In each of these miniature citadels, a mosque and a minaret rise behind the fortress walls, which functions as a watchtower. The mosque is conceived as a fortress, the last bulwark of resistance in the event of a siege, and includes a whole arsenal and granary. Around the houses are located, built in the form of concentric circles, up to the ramparts. Each house is a standard type of cube, illustrating an egalitarian society based on respect for family values, aimed at maintaining its privacy and autonomy.
Created at the beginning of the first millennium from local materials by ancient Ibadite architects, the ensemble of buildings is an example of ideal adaptation to the environment and simplicity of form. Usually the house consisted of a basement-cellar, first, second floors and a mandatory flat roof with a terrace. Houses are connected to each other by covered walkways. The principles of equality of the Mozabite society are clearly traced in the sameness of household structures.
Elements of the Mzab Valley are an outstanding example of the traditional settlement of the Ibadi culture. Thanks to an ingenious system of water retention and distribution, the creation of palm groves, the settlement demonstrates an extremely effective human interaction with the surrounding semi-desert environment.
Floods and the influence of nearby cities did not affect the pristine Mzab Valley too much. The constant restoration of historical and religious monuments (mausoleums and mosques), the defense system (rear, guard structures, ramparts, ramparts) and the hydraulic system contribute to the maintenance of the entire original urban system in good condition.
The assignment of the status of a UNESCO protected site and the development of a state conservation plan contributes to the preservation of the cultural heritage of the valley. By controlling the growth of cities in the immediate vicinity of palm groves, by banning flooding and altering elements of the natural landscape, the authorities are trying to preserve an exceptional example of an ancient civilization.
