Ksar d'Aït-Ben-Haddou
Set of earthen buildings surrounded by walls, the Ksar is a traditional pre-Saharan habitat type. The houses crowd together within the defensive walls, reinforced by corner towers. Ait Ben Haddou, situated in Ouarzazate province, is a striking example of the architecture of southern Morocco.
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Outstanding universal value
Brief summary
Located on the foothills of the southern slopes of the High Atlas in the province of Ouarzazate, the site of Ait Benhaddou is most famous ksour Valley Ounila. The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou is a striking example of the architecture of southern Morocco. The Ksar is a group of homes essentially collective. Inside walls reinforced defensive corner towers and pierced by a door baffle, crowd many houses, some modest, others by small figure of urban castles with their tall corner towers decorated at the top of mud-brick decorative, but also buildings and community spaces. This is an extraordinary complex of buildings offering a complete panorama of earth building techniques presaharic. The oldest buildings do not appear earlier in the seventeenth century, although their structure and technique are propagated from a very early period in the valleys of southern Morocco. The site was also a trading post on the trade route that linked the ancient Sudan to Marrakech by the Dra Valley and the Tizi-n'Telouet. In architectural terms, the structure of the habitat is in the form of a compact group, closed and suspended. The public spaces of Ksar consist of a mosque, a public square, the threshing of grain outside the ramparts of a fortification and a loft at the top of the village, a caravanserai, two cemeteries (Muslim and Jewish) and the shrine of the saint Sidi Ali or Amer. The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou is a perfect synthesis of earthen architecture of pre-Saharan regions of Morocco.
Criterion (iv): The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou is an outstanding example of southern Morocco Ksar illustrating the main types of earthen structures that we observe from the seventeenth century in the valleys of Dra, Todra, Dades and Souss.
Criterion (v): The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou illustrates the traditional habitat in soil, representative of South Moroccan culture, become vulnerable under the influence of socio-economic and cultural irreversible.
Integrity (2009)
All structures that make up the Ksar are well within the buffer zone and protect its environment. The earthen buildings are very vulnerable to lack of maintenance and repair due to continued neglect of the Ksar by its inhabitants. CERKAS (Centre de conservation and rehabilitation of the architectural heritage of the Atlas and sub-Atlas) before, not without difficulty, to respect the visual integrity of the property.
Authenticity (2009)
Compared to other ksour the region, the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddou has preserved its architectural authenticity level, shapes and materials. The architectural style is well preserved and earthen structures are perfectly adapted to climatic conditions and harmonize with the natural and social environment.
The great houses down the village, whose decorative motifs are conserved, are well maintained. The materials used for construction are earth and wood. The attempts of introduction of cement have so far failed, thanks to continual monitoring of the Compliance Committee of the offenses (rural commune, Division of Urban Planning, Urban Agency, CERKAS). Only a few lintels and rebar reinforced concrete have escaped his vigilance, but they were hidden under earth plasters. Special attention is also paid to doors and windows overlooking the streets, to ensure that the metal does not replace the wood.
Needs protection and management (2009)
Protection measures are essentially different laws listing of historic monuments and sites, particularly the law relating to 22-80 Moroccan heritage. The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou currently has a management plan that lasts five years (2007-2012). This management plan is the result of two years of reflection and workshops involving all persons and institutions concerned with the future of the site, including local people. The recommendations of this plan are underway. In addition, two committees have been created (a local and a national committee) in which all stakeholders are represented and collaborate in decision making. At the same time he manages well, CERKAS coordinates the implementation of this management plan.
Long Description
Ait Ben Haddou year is outstanding example of a southern Moroccan ksar illustrant hand the kinds of Building To Be Observed in the valleys of Dra, Todra, Dades and Under.
The earthen constructions of southern Morocco are Rightly Celebrated, for THEY Particular Represent a family of pre-Saharan architecture, Which is common to all Countries of the Great Maghreb, Mauritania and Libya. It Is not That the introduction of some consoling or thesis buildings dates back to Islamization and to the foundation of Sijilmassa in 757, it is likely purpose (although The Oldest Testimonies do not APPEAR To Be From Before the 17th century) That Were Their structure and technical propagated from a very early time in Jebel and in the valleys of the south.
The typology of this traditional habitat is Extremely Diversified. Large houses, Called tighremt in Berber kasbah and gold in Arabic dar, bring together, around a central rectangular courtyard, tall fortified wings oven, topped by corner towers. In Some boxes THEY allow entrance to lower houses connected Situated around a second courtyard Which year HAS pregnant.
The kasbah of southern Morocco is the family unit of the wealthy classes and multiple HAS varied forms and functions. For the MOST part, They Are country houses, the ground floor is Used For and Agricultural Purposes and the upper floors serve as living quarters in winter (upper portion) and summer (lower portion). Adjoining houses are reserved for Agricultural Workers, as Skura in the Oasis. The kasbah can, however, be has aussi real palace-fortress, the seat of local power, as in the ancient area of Glaua, and in Taurirt in Teluet. It then Takes on the size of a small village.
In contrast to the kasbah, the family unit is the Ksar (plural ksour), Which is Mainly a collective grouping. Inside the defensive walls, Which are reinforced by corner towers EACH with a zigzag-shaped gate, houses crowd together. Some are modest, others resemble small castles With Their urban high angle towers Whose upper portion decorative motifs present in clay brick. Purpose There are buildings and community aussi Areas: Collective sheep pens and stable lofts and silos, market place, meeting room for the assembly of family chiefs, mosque, madrassa, etc..
Ait Ben Haddou year is extraordinary set of buildings Offering a full panorama of pre-Saharan building techniques (ramming mass Worked Into header panel brick and bull, Moulded ordinary earth, clay brick, etc..) As well as consoling or a miniature of the architectural typology of southern Morocco. An astonishing loft overlooks the mountain-fortress Against Which the Ksar is located. The lofts (agadir Ighram gold) are not uncommon in Morocco, aims Their defensive character is not always as obvious as in the present case by the choice of a site on high and a fortification system linking the loft with the village Conceived as the last bastion of resistance in the event of a siege.
