Ghardaia the cities of Mzab

To discover the region, we advise you to visit Ghardaia but also the other cities of the Mzab. Each city (ksour) has a particular character and a singular history.

The cities (ksour) of the Mzab valley are seven in number. The first 5 ksour (or ighermane in Mozabite) were built in the 11th century. They are commonly called "The pentapole of Mzab".

Ghardaia - Taghardeit 

Founded in 1048 on the right bank of Oued M'zab and upstream of the other four centers of Pentapole by two brothers Slimane and Mohammed Ben Yahia, Ghardaia quickly became the commercial capital of the Mzab.

The mosque

The Mosque and its minaret shaped pyramidal trunk very elongated dominates the whole city. This one, located on the sides of a conical eminence in the middle of the wadi Mzab, develops the staging of its houses in a panorama which does not miss neither originality nor greatness.

The old market place

During your visit, you will discover in the heart of the upper town the old market place. Its charm is due in large part to its colors and the presence of its centenary well near which an elegant palm tree pushed thanks to the inevitable splashes and clumsiness of the inhabitants of the district.

The marketplace

Arriving at Ghardaia, you will not be able to miss the market place. It is very elegant and offers a beautiful view of the old town. Your visit to Ghardaia will surely start with a stroll among the merchants present on this place. You will see date sellers, dinandiers, carpet dealers and all kinds of colorful stalls.

The palm grove

The palm grove of Ghardaia, located two kilometers upstream of the city really deserves a visit. It is by far the most flourishing of the pentapolis, with some 60,000 palm trees. It is also a true summer city. Indeed, during the whole hot season whole families come to seek isolation and a little cool. Life continues there as in the city, in the mosques, in the Koranic schools, among the craftsmen and merchants who make the season.

Places to visit in Ghardaia :

• Old Ksar
• Old mosque
• Old Market Square
• Underground Mosque
• Palm grove
• Water sharing
• Irrigation system

Beni Isguen - At Izgen

Beni Isguen whose name means "The sons of those who hold the faith", was founded in 1347.

It is the holy city par excellence and the guardian of traditions. It is surrounded by ramparts pierced by three doors which, until very recently, were closed at night. The customs are rigorous and a great correction is required.

The tower of Beni Isguen

The visit of Beni Isguen leads along increasingly narrow alleyways to the mosque and a terrace topped by a tower that, according to reports from generation to generation, would have been built in a day. This tower serves as a watchtower.
Once at the top of this tower the panorama is exceptional and we discover from this point of view almost the entire valley of the Mzab.

The auction sale

For centuries, a picturesque auction sale took place in the late afternoon. The inhabitants come to sell the objects that have been used in the home. An ancestral tradition not to be missed during your visit!

The palm grove

The town of Beni Isguen is bordered by its palm grove which extends for 3 kilometers and where it is pleasant to walk during the period of hot weather.

Places to visit in Beni Isguen :

• Old Ksar
• Boulila Tower
• Market at the auction

El Atteuf - Tajnint - 

Founded in 1012, it is the oldest city of Mzab. It is located only 9 kilometers from Ghardaia but it seems already far from everything.

El Atteuf, whose name means "The turn" takes its name from its geographical position since it is located in the heart of the meander Mzab wadi.

The mosque Sheikh Sidi Brahim

Along its high houses-ramparts is the famous 700-year-old Sheikh Sidi Brahim mosque.

His modest plan, his molded arcades and his wall niches inspired Le Corbusier during the construction of the Chapel Notre-Dame-du-Haut in Ronchamp near Vesoul.

Places to visit in El Atteuf:

• Old Ksar
• Sheikh Sidi Brahim Mausoleum

Melika - Atemlichet - 

Melika (The Queen) stands a few hundred meters from Ghardaia. The perimeter of the city is defined by high houses that serve as a rampart.

Cemetery

His cemetery hosts the tombs of Sheikh Sidi Aissa and his family. These tombs take the form of touching knolls of simplicity and resembling whitewashed dowel fingers pointed towards the sky.

Places to visit in Melika:

• Old Ksar
• Sheikh Sidi Aïssa Cemetery

Bou Noura - Atbounour - 

Bou Noura (The luminous) is located 4 kilometers from Ghardaia.
Founded in 1046 by a fraction of Beni-Mthar of Ouargla, his Ksar was destroyed in a series of internal quarrels. The ksar that exists today was rebuilt above the first one. The new city perched behind its ramparts is nevertheless particularly charming.

Places to visit in Bounoura:

• Old Ksar
• Mosque

Berriane - 

Berriane was founded in 1690 on Oued Bir, tributary of Wadi N'sa, 45 km north of Ghardaia, by two fractions driven from the latter city.

The oasis of Berriane is flourishing with 45,000 palm trees. The water is rather scarce but the land is very fertile and the gardens are well maintained.

Guerrara - 

Founded in 1631 by the Oulad Makha, who once lived in Ghardaia and Melika, it is the most eccentric city in the Mzab, 100 km from Ghardaia.

This city, is on the passage of caravans traveling the Sahara from East to West and North to South.

The market

The daily market which takes place in the afternoon is very frequented by the Larbaa, the Oulad Nail and the nomads of Touggourt and Biskra.

The oasis

The oasis at the bottom of a da'a against the last houses of the city is almost luxuriant in ordinary times. The Oued Zegrir which comes from the region of the daïas submerges it of its waters at irregular intervals.
The flood diverted and retained by very ingenious hydraulic works, can stay several months before infiltrating.