The fortified villages of the M'zab Valley

Journey to the heart of Algeria’s M’zab Valley

A true model and source of inspiration for today’s urban planners, the fortified towns of the M’zab Valley are simple, functional and perfectly adapted to their environment. The M’zab Valley is a deep, narrow valley in the heart of the Sahara, 600 km south ofAlgiers. Five fortified villages dating back to the 11th century are scattered along this valley over a distance of around 10 km! These fortified villages form an ensemble of rare homogeneity, and are still today the reflection of a sedentary civilization, the bearer of an extraordinary culture, which has managed to preserve its cohesion and original state over the centuries.

Designed by the Berber Mozabites, each of the five towns – Ghardaia, Beni Isquen, Melika, Bou Noura and El Atteuf– is built on a hill and surrounded by a tangle of pastel-colored houses. The houses are grouped in a concentric circle around a central mosque, always built on top of the hill.

Ghardaia – Photo credit: Yann Arthus-Bertrand

Based in the center of towns and on high ground, mosques were designed as veritable fortresses and also served as watchtowers.

As for the houses, they have been designed for communal living, but each one respects the privacy of the family. An ingenious system in the heart of narrow lanes and winding passages!

El Ateuf – Photo credit: Yann Arthus-Bertrand

Although these five towns are built similarly, each has its own identity. Ghardaïa is the main town and capital of the M’zab, El-Ateuf is home to the oldest settlement in the region, and Beni Isquen remains the most enigmatic of all the valley’s towns. Considered holy, Beni Isquen was long closed and fenced off at nightfall… Although this is no longer the case, the town still boasts the most traditional rules in the whole M’zab region.

Here, women are very camera-shy, as Jonathan Oakes explains in his travel guide to Algeria: « Here, you’ll find that all women follow tradition and wear the haïk, a large cloth that is wrapped around the body and face, allowing only one eye to be seen. Before marriage, young women are allowed to show their faces, but after marriage, only one eye can be shown and uncovered. If you meet the eyes of one of these women, you’ll notice that they close the cloth covering their face even tighter, leaving only one small hole through which they can see. In the past, it was customary for women to face the wall when strangers passed by; although this is no longer the case, you’ll find that these women will always do their best to avoid your gaze, and will systematically change their path if you cross their path. These women are gloriously photogenic, but taking a photo of them is strictly forbidden and would result in outrage. »

villages de la vallée de M'zab, Algérie

Ghardaia – Photo credit: George Steinmetz

Between tradition and religion, all the fortified towns in the M’zab valley are remarkable. Despite the passing centuries, the communities have managed to preserve their original state and culture. This identity, which has remained intact in the face of the outside world, enabled all these towns to be listed as Unesco World Heritage Sites in 1982.