Ouarzazate
Kasbah Taurirt towers over the city.
The decision to renovate the stronghold was not made until 1994. A lot has been done so far. Some houses in the area are still inhabited, and the conditions here are very primitive.
Ouarzazate. Kasbah Taurirt towers over the city
This clay castle is a testimony to the great, though short-lived power of the Glawich family.
Ouarzazate (Quarzazate) is a city not very old, because of the twenties of the twentieth century. They were founded as the seat of the garrison of the French Foreign Legion. The main attraction is the Taourirt kazba.
These are the ruins of the Glaoui stronghold. This Kazba is the region's most valuable building and is located on a hill above the city. This clay castle is a testimony to the great, though short-lived power of the Glawich family. Kazba was founded in the 18th century. When the family was at the peak of power, in the late 1930s, it was the largest building of this type in Morocco. The members of the family lived here with the servants. After the fall of Glawich, the building quickly fell into ruin. Because it was made of clay, lack of maintenance led to the scattering of individual objects. The decision to renovate the stronghold was not made until 1994. A lot has been done so far. Some houses in the area are still inhabited, and the conditions here are very primitive.
From the street side there are huge walls with geometric decorations. When concerts are taking place here, it is a perfect background. There is a small courtyard behind the entrance gate. Above it rise several-story buildings, beautifully decorated. These are living and utility rooms. Inside, you wander quite complicated corridors with low entrances to individual rooms. The rooms are illuminated by light coming in through decorative barred windows. Many vaults are decorated with cedar wood and there are colorful tiles on the walls. Through the windows there is a nice view of the entire property, film museum and craft center.
The ups and downs of a powerful family.
The Glawich family came from the High Atlas. He gained strong influence in the country thanks to his cunning. They collaborated with the French and brutally conquered areas in the south. The French did not interfere in this practice. The brothers controlled the salt mines on the Tizi n'Telouet Pass and attacked passing caravans. In the winter of 1893, they hosted Sultan Moulay Hassan and his broken army. For this they received the Krupp cannon, which allowed them to rule over the surrounding tribes. In 1907, the brothers became dignitaries. The older became the great vizier and the younger became fodder of Marrakesh. In the following years they entered into strange agreements with Europeans. After the death of his older brother, the younger began to "climb"? for power in different and generally unfair ways. In 1953 he was close, and he would be knighted in England. The activities of the Glawich family ended when they gained independence in 1956. Thami (younger) died and left his family humiliated and in poverty. Service spread throughout the country. The magnificent Kasbah and palaces quickly fell into ruin.


Kazba (also kasba) is a fortified defense complex towering over the city. The defensive walls contained a palace, warehouses and barracks. There was also a tightly built up residential area. Wąziutkie streets connected individual houses.

свернуть