
Ghardaïa (, ) is the capital city of
Ghardaïa Province,
Algeria
Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
. The commune of Ghardaïa has a population of 93,423 according to the 2008 census,
up from 87,599 in 1998, with an annual growth rate of 0.7%.
It is located in northern-central Algeria in the
Sahara
The Sahara (, ) is a desert spanning across North Africa. With an area of , it is the largest hot desert in the world and the list of deserts by area, third-largest desert overall, smaller only than the deserts of Antarctica and the northern Ar ...
and lies along the left bank of the
Wadi
Wadi ( ; ) is a river valley or a wet (ephemerality, ephemeral) Stream bed, riverbed that contains water only when heavy rain occurs. Wadis are located on gently sloping, nearly flat parts of deserts; commonly they begin on the distal portion ...
Mzab. The
M'zab
The M'zab, or Mzab (Mozabite language, Mozabite: ''Aghlan'', ), is a natural region of the northern Sahara Desert in Ghardaïa Province, Algeria. It is located south of Algiers and has approximately 360,000 inhabitants (2005 estimate).
Geolog ...
in the Ghardaïa Province was made a
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
in 1982, as a cultural property evaluated under the criteria II (for its settlement affecting urban planning even to the present century), III (for its
Ibadi
Ibadism (, ) is a school of Islam concentrated in Oman established from within the Kharijites. The followers of the Ibadi sect are known as the Ibadis or, as they call themselves, The People of Truth and Integrity ().
Ibadism emerged around 6 ...
cultural values), and V (a settlement culture which has prevailed to the present century).
Ghardaïa is part of a
pentapolis
A pentapolis (from Ancient Greek, Greek ''penta-'', 'five' and ''polis'', 'city') is a geographic and/or institutional grouping of five cities. Cities in the ancient world probably formed such groups for political, commercial and military rea ...
, a hilltop city amongst four others, built almost a thousand years ago in the M’Zab valley. It was founded by the
Mozabites, an
Ibadi
Ibadism (, ) is a school of Islam concentrated in Oman established from within the Kharijites. The followers of the Ibadi sect are known as the Ibadis or, as they call themselves, The People of Truth and Integrity ().
Ibadism emerged around 6 ...
sect of the
Berber
Berber or Berbers may refer to:
Ethnic group
* Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa
* Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages
Places
* Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile
People with the surname
* Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
Muslims.
It is a major centre of date production and the manufacture of rugs and cloths.
Divided into three walled sectors, it is a fortified town. At the centre is the historical Mʾzabite area, with a pyramid-style mosque and an arcaded square.
Distinctive white, pink, and red houses, made of sand, clay and gypsum,
rise in terraces and arcades.
In her 1963 book, ''La Force des choses'', the
French existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir described Ghardaïa as "a Cubist painting beautifully constructed".
Etymology
The name of Ghardaïa has its origins in a female saint named
Daïa who lived in a cave (ghār) in the area before it blossomed into a town inhabited by Ibadi Muslims who came to escape persecution from the
Fatimid Caliphate
The Fatimid Caliphate (; ), also known as the Fatimid Empire, was a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries CE under the rule of the Fatimids, an Isma'ili Shi'a dynasty. Spanning a large area of North Africa and West Asia, i ...
in the north.
History
The M'Zab valley, in
limestone
Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
plateau
In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; : plateaus or plateaux), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. ...
, was inscribed under the UNESCO Heritage List, is a unique conglomeration of five cities confined in area of 75 km² situated 600 km to the south of
Algiers
Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...
, the capital of Algeria.
The original architecture of the semi desert valley is dated to early 11th century. It is ascribed to the
Ibadi
Ibadism (, ) is a school of Islam concentrated in Oman established from within the Kharijites. The followers of the Ibadi sect are known as the Ibadis or, as they call themselves, The People of Truth and Integrity ().
Ibadism emerged around 6 ...
s, with their cultural identity originally traced to the
Maghreb
The Maghreb (; ), also known as the Arab Maghreb () and Northwest Africa, is the western part of the Arab world. The region comprises western and central North Africa, including Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, and Tunisia. The Maghreb al ...
; they had their capital at Tahert as an Ibadi Kingdom. They were forced to leave Tahert consequent to a devastating fire in 909 (it is reported that destruction was caused by the founder of the (Shi'ite)
Fatimid Dynasty
The Fatimid dynasty () was an Arab dynasty that ruled the Fatimid Caliphate, between 909 and 1171 CE. Descended from Fatima and Ali, and adhering to Isma'ili Shi'ism, they held the Isma'ili imamate, and were regarded as the rightful leaders o ...
[). They first moved to Sedrata and finally to the M'Zab valley. They settled in five fortified villages located on rocky outcrops, known locally as “Kosars”, although they could have lived in one larger village encompassing all the five. The habitation was planned with meticulous details to precise layouts defined by set principles of community living within a defensive environment. Ghardaïa's foundation has been dated to 1048 or 1053.
Each village was planned in a diverse topography comprising a small island, a ridge, a hilltop, a peak and a recess. The villages were fortified in such a manner that they were inaccessible to the nomadic groups. The five villages set up with identical planning concepts were Ghardaïa, Melika, Beni Isguen, Bou Noura and El Atteuf. The identical “miniature citadels”, as they are termed, each had their own mosque with minaret functioning as watch towers, and the houses built around the mosque in concentric circles and surrounded by a high walls (extending up to the ramparts). The buildings together gave the feel of a fortress to each village. The mosque also provided for storage of grains and arms for defence.][
However, during the summer season the inhabitants migrated to a "citadel" outside the fortified villages, in an informal setting of artificial palm grove, a ]cemetery
A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite, graveyard, or a green space called a memorial park or memorial garden, is a place where the remains of many death, dead people are burial, buried or otherwise entombed. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek ...
and a mosque.[
The ksar was created in 476/1085 by two tribes : the Aoulad Ammi-Aïssa and the Aoulad Ba-Slimane. Each tribe contained different fractions, a specific area and a cemetery]. Ghardaïa is the richest city of the M'Zab Vallée. It already had a dynamic commercial and craft activity. On the social aspect, it is the only Ksar, along with Melika, that housed not only Ibadites Berbers, but also Malekits Arabs and a Jewish community until the Algerian Independence.
To build the Ksar, the founders of Ghardaïa, a small group of people, under a Cheikh, chose a hill 200m south of the M'Zab Oued for defensive purposes. Farther west, they created a palm grove for subsistence farming. The Ksar of Ghardaïa, as it is today, did not appear in one time. According to the public agency in charge of protecting the M'Zab Heritage, Ghardaïa has seen four phases of evolution until 1882, when it was annexed by the French army.
Geography
The city is located within the Sahara Desert
The Sahara (, ) is a desert spanning across North Africa. With an area of , it is the largest hot desert in the world and the list of deserts by area, third-largest desert overall, smaller only than the deserts of Antarctica and the northern Ar ...
in northern-central Algeria. Ghardaïa Province is divided into 13 ''communes'' or municipalities, which includes the Ghardaïa municipality. It is bordered by Ouargla and El Bayadh Wilayas. It is nestled in the M'zab
The M'zab, or Mzab (Mozabite language, Mozabite: ''Aghlan'', ), is a natural region of the northern Sahara Desert in Ghardaïa Province, Algeria. It is located south of Algiers and has approximately 360,000 inhabitants (2005 estimate).
Geolog ...
valley, lying on the left bank of the Wadi Mzab, which is commonly dry throughout the year. The commune of Ghardaïa now covers an area of and includes a number of suburbs, towns and villages in addition to Ghardaïa. Suburb settlements include Mélika, Béni Isguen, Bounoura (Has Bunur) and El Atteuf (Tadjnint), all of which lie to the southeast of Ghardaïa city and the ancient ksar
Ksar or qṣar (), in plural ksour or qsour (), is a type of fortified village in North Africa, usually found in the regions predominantly or traditionally inhabited by Berbers (Amazigh). The equivalent Berber languages, Berber term used is ' ( ...
of Metlili-Chaamba or Metlili which lies to the southwest. Outside of the Mzab Valley, Berriane (Has Ibergane) and El Guerrara (Iguerraren) are towns of note, the first to the north, and the second to the northeast.
Hydrology
Ghardaïa's ancient water distribution system was devised by the Mozabites, as a response to the ephemeral flows of its oueds (rivers). Realising the preciousness of this natural resource, the Mozabites developed a unique hydraulic system of tunnels to harvest rainwater and divert it to the oases. They have an equitable water distribution to all gardens and also maintain good flood protection measures. The water supply is accessed in a number of ways through a complex irrigation system that distributes water from many wells. Well drilling extends to a depth ranging from to , drawing the water from the Albian
The Albian is both an age (geology), age of the geologic timescale and a stage (stratigraphy), stage in the stratigraphic column. It is the youngest or uppermost subdivision of the Early Cretaceous, Early/Lower Cretaceous epoch (geology), Epoch/s ...
fossil groundwater continental infill whose reserves are estimated at 1.5 trillion m3.
Climate
Ghardaïa has a hot desert climate
The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk'') is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...
(Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
''BWh''), with extremely hot summers and mild winters. The region is marked by large temperature differences between day and night, and summer and winter ranging from lows of 5 °C (41 °F) to highs of 46 °C (114.8 °F). The prevailing winds of summer are extremely hot, extremely dry and strong, while winter winds are warm and dry. Sandstorms generally occur from March to May. In October 2008, Ghardaïa was severely affected by flooding due to heavy rain.
Layout and architecture
The unique layout of the Ghardaïa village is dictated by the rocky terrain of the region. Apart from the mosques and the housing pattern layout, with the mosque at the top of the hill, and the houses laid in labyrinthine alleyways, there is also a large market centre. The houses in particular are oriented in such a way that admits sunlight into every dwelling, as this is strongly believed to be healthy: "Inhabitants of the house where sun comes in will never see a doctor". Chimneys are also set in such a way that they do not encroach upon the comfort of neighbours.[
]
Economy
Ghardaïa is a major centre of date production, with nearly 60,000 palm trees producing dates. The wood of dead palms is used to make house roofs; live trees are not killed, as they are considered living beings that sustain the inhabitants.
Another important industry is the manufacture of rugs and cloths.
Metlili-Chaamba is known for its "Deglet Nour" dates and its camel hair products. One important aspect of the social life and economic values of the people of the region is that begging and theft are non-existent in the community. The society is close-knit, and all aspects of economy and social customs are dictated by the community.
Culture
The residents have preserved the original medieval architecture remarkably well; the valley to which Ghardaïa belongs is part of an official World Heritage Site
World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
. The Medabian quarter lies to the northwest. The military compound and hospital are located in the southern area. The city is called "the pearl of the oasis", and is one of the most important tourist regions in southern Algeria due to its ancient cultural heritage. Apart from tourism, the Wilaya of Ghardaïa also draws anthropologists, architects, researchers and historians to explore its rich cultural, anthropological and architectural uniqueness. An interesting aspect of community welfare is the fact that they follow the rules of governance diligently, and also contribute to the maintenance and care of the community. Mozabites in the light of their rigid approach in negotiations, dominate the financial sector, particularly in banking and wholesale sectors. They also have their own mosque, cemetery, recreation and sporting activities. They have a patriarchal system of social inheritance. Another unique feature among the Mozabites is that starting from birth a “Mozabite is looked after by the community for education, work, marriage, and the building of a home. Touiza (groups of volunteers) are organised for building houses.” The Wilaya of Ghardaïa is also well known for its Weaving, Dinanderie D'art, basketry, pottery and carpet weaving (tapestry). The rugs of the area are so popular that every year the "National Day Of Rugs" is held in March.
The Mozabites of Ghardaïa have their distinct identity of traditional costume of '' saroual loubia'' (baggy trousers) and ''chéchia'' (headgear).
Festivals
Every spring, the commune of Metlili-Chaamba, from Ghardaïa, celebrates the "Day mehr" when people from all over the country attend and participate in a camel race.
In March and April, a carpet festival provides an opportunity for celebration, competition, as well as sales.[Ham, p. 158]
Religion
Ghardaïa is the traditional heart of the M'zab
The M'zab, or Mzab (Mozabite language, Mozabite: ''Aghlan'', ), is a natural region of the northern Sahara Desert in Ghardaïa Province, Algeria. It is located south of Algiers and has approximately 360,000 inhabitants (2005 estimate).
Geolog ...
valley and home of the Ibadi
Ibadism (, ) is a school of Islam concentrated in Oman established from within the Kharijites. The followers of the Ibadi sect are known as the Ibadis or, as they call themselves, The People of Truth and Integrity ().
Ibadism emerged around 6 ...
religious sect in Algeria. They do not subscribe to the doctrines of Sunnism
Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mus ...
and Shi'ism. They practice a different way of praying, worshipping of God, and designing mosques compared to Maliki
The Maliki school or Malikism is one of the four major madhhab, schools of Islamic jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. It was founded by Malik ibn Anas () in the 8th century. In contrast to the Ahl al-Hadith and Ahl al-Ra'y schools of thought, the ...
s, who form the majority of Algerians. The wastage of water, and more generally any gift of land, is considered a sin. The Ghardaïa Mosque, built in the 10th century, is of Moorish architecture style. Its tower, simple and elegant, includes a large portal at the top of the shaft, the design of which provides for ventilation flow.
The White Fathers
The White Fathers (), officially known as the Missionaries of Africa (), and abbreviated MAfr, are a Roman Catholic society of apostolic life of pontifical right (for men). They were founded in 1868 by Charles-Martial Allemand-Lavigerie, who w ...
, a Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
missionary society, live in a hermitage near the old city, and have a collection of books on the Sahara. The pro-cathedral
A pro-cathedral or procathedral is a parish Church (building), church that temporarily serves as the cathedral or co-cathedral of a diocese, or a church that has the same function in a Catholic missionary jurisdiction (such as an apostolic prefect ...
still testifies to the time when it was the seat from 1901 successively of the Apostolic Prefecture of Ghardaïa; the province was renamed as the Apostolic Prefecture of Ghardaïa in the Sahara, in 1948 promoted to the Apostolic Vicariate of Ghardaïa in the Sahara, and then in 1955 was promoted to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Laghouat (where the cathedral is meanwhile secularized; the diocese is still exempt).
Jewish Sign Language
Until Algerian independence, Ghardaïa was home to a significant Jewish community, of which many were deaf. The deaf Jews of Ghardaïa developed their own village sign language, which they took with them when the community left for France and Israel. The language is considered moribund.
Education
6.5% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 18.2% has completed secondary education. The overall literacy rate is 87.4%, and is 93.2% among males and 81.5% among females.
Transportation
The town is served by Noumérat – Moufdi Zakaria Airport (or simply ''Ghardaïa airport
An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial Aviation, air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surf ...
''). There is also a bus station. The airport is named after Algerian writer Moufdi Zakaria, who was born in Ghardaïa.
Localities
The commune of Ghardaïa is composed of nine localities:
* Ghardaia City
* Melika (At M'lichet)
* Theniet El Mekhzene
* Chikh El Hadj Mohammed Hadj Messaoud
* Belghannem
* Chikh Bab Saâd
* El Ghabet
* Chikh baba ou l'djemma
Notable people from Ghardaïa
* Moufdi Zakaria, Mozabite poet from At izjen Beni isgen, authored the national anthem
* Cheikh Bayoud, Mozabite leader of the reformist mouvment in the south.
* Mokhtar Belmokhtar, Algerian former military commander of al-Mulathameen (The Masked Brigade).
Gallery
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghardaia
Berber architecture
Communes of Ghardaïa Province
Historic Jewish communities in North Africa
Cities in Algeria
Province seats of Algeria
Populated places established in the 11th century