At the gates of the ksar

At the eastern edge of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, Aït Benhaddou stands suspended in time. The ancient mud-brick ksar (fortified city) was first built roughly 1,000 years ago, catering to those travelling along the camel train trade route between the Sahara Desert and the city of Marrakech. Although none of the remaining buildings are believed to pre-date the 17th century, they are thought to have been built using the techniques and designs from a much earlier period.
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