The Kasbah Taourirt is mostly made of rammed earth and mud brick. It is a fortified residence complex that overlooks Ouarzazate in south-central Morocco, which is often called “the door of the desert”.
It is one of the best-preserved examples of this kind of earthen building, with three stories, balconies and big rectangular towers at each corner, it is typical of the Berber-dominated architecture and design in southern Morocco.
Some of its rooms have tataoui ceilings, which are made out of woven reed, mostly collected from wadis (or oases).
The kasbah was built by a powerful family which controlled the area in the 17th century and then was taken over in the 19th century by another family when it rose to power.
It has a strategic importance, as it is at the confluence of several river valleys which were essential arteries on the Saharan trade routes. This kasbah was one of more than 300 along the “Saharan Caravan Route” between north and west Africa.
In 1960, squatters started moving in to the kasbah, and it began to decay. Some of it was restored with UNESCO help 30 years ago. Then, in 2010, the municipality of Ouarzazate bought the site and evicted the squatters.
You can read the original article at thewest.com.au