Aït Benhaddou

Aït Benhaddou is a historic ighrem or ksar (fortified village) along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in Morocco. It is considered a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. The site of the ksar has been fortified since the 11th century during the Almoravid period. The ksar is a mainly collective grouping of dwellings, with houses crowding together within defensive walls that are reinforced by corner towers and pierced with a baffle gate. The village also has a number of public or community buildings such as a mosque, a caravanserai, multiple kasbahs, and the Marabout of Sidi Ali or Amer. The ksar's structures are made entirely out of rammed earth, adobe, clay bricks, and wood