Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou

World Heritage Identification Number: 444

World Heritage since: 1987

Category: Cultural Heritage

WHE Type: Buildings & Architectural Ensembles

Transboundary Heritage: No

Endangered Heritage: No

Country: 🇲🇦 Morocco

Continent: Africa

UNESCO World Region: Arab States

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Architectural Marvel: The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou

The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou, nestled in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco, stands as a testament to the rich architectural heritage of North Africa. This remarkable fortified city, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, offers a unique glimpse into the ancient traditions and lifestyles of the region's inhabitants.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The ksar, a group of earthen buildings surrounded by high walls, is a traditional pre-Saharan habitat. The houses crowd together within the defensive walls, which are reinforced by corner towers. Ait-Ben-Haddou, in Ouarzazate province, is a striking example of the architecture of southern Morocco.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Criterion (iv): The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou is an eminent example of a ksar in southern Morocco illustrating the main types of earthen constructions that may be observed dating from the 17th century in the valleys of Dra, Todgha, Dadès and Souss.

Criterion (v): The Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou illustrates the traditional earthen habitat, representing the culture of southern Morocco, which has become vulnerable as a result of irreversible socio-economic and cultural changes

Encyclopedia Record: Aït Benhaddou

Aït Benhaddou is a historic ighrem or ksar along the former caravan route between the Sahara and Marrakesh in Morocco. It is considered a great example of Moroccan earthen clay architecture and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

Additional Site Details

Area: 3.03 hectares

Number of Components: 1

UNESCO Criteria: (iv) — Outstanding example of a type of building or landscape
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement

Coordinates: 31.04722 , -7.12889

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Nearby World Heritage Sites

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Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida)
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Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City: a Shared Heritage
332 km — Morocco

Historic City of Meknes
348 km — Morocco

Morocco and the World Heritage Convention

State Party since: October 28, 1975

Status: Ratification

Mandates to the World Heritage Committee: 1995-2001, 2005-2009

Total of Mandate Years: 10

Total of Mandates: 2

WHC Electoral Group: V(b) (Arab States)

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Links

UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou
Wikipedia: Aït Benhaddou

Portions of the page Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou are based on data from UNESCO — World Heritage List Dataset and on text from the Wikipedia article Aït Benhaddou, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes made. Additional original content by World Heritage Explorer (WHE), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. WHE is not affiliated with UNESCO or the World Heritage Committee. Legal Notice. Privacy Policy.