Ghardaia

Ghardaia’s entire city is made up of a cluster of five settlements built on the five highest hills of the M’zab valley, almost a thousand years ago, founded by the Mozabits, a Muslim sect and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Each crowned by a towering minaret the buildings span out in narrow concentric circles. The majority are two stories high, and each has its own courtyard, terraces and yard.

Whitewashed houses stand out against an azure sky and reflect in the reddish brown desert soil. The buildings are made from adobe bricks, and the roofs topped with lime for waterproofing.