Ghadames

Baths at Leptis Magna Berber storage Col Qadhafi Cyrene Derna Ghadames Ghadames dancers Ghadames Museum Ghadames Sundown Lathrun Leptis Magna Leptis ruins Man Made River Qasr Roman Villa Sabratha Tobruk Tripoli Tripolil Museum

Ghadames

 

 
the old town
(an UNESCO Heritage site)

 

      Town and oasis in Libya, with 10,000 inhabitants, next to the borders of Tunisia and Algeria. Ghadames is recognized for its beautiful and inventive architecture, designed to fight the dramatic extremities of Saharan climate.

 

looking down on a palm leaf covered tea house

All houses are made out of mud, lime, and palm tree trunks. They are constructed so that all fit together, with covered alleyways between them, and adjacent roofs, allowing passage from one house to another.

 

doorway to tea house

While the entire population have moved out to the modern nearby village, the old one offers the only good shelter against summer heat, so that the old village is still popular to use.

 

tea house interior

The economical base for Ghadames has been dwindling over the ears. Earlier the town was an important stopover on the caravan routes crossing the Sahara. Today's income is from some camel breeding, a small agriculture as well as administrative and military activities.

 

the tea house

HISTORY

There is evidence of settlements here back to Paleolithic and Neolithic times (about 10,000 years).
19 BCE: The Roman garrison Cydaus is set up, but the Romans found this a difficult post to hold.

 

red Berber colors

4-5th centuries: Cydaus becomes an episcopate under the Byzantine empire, and altogether 4 bishops served their mission here.

 

some passageways are open

667: Arab invasion. Uqba Bin Nefi stopped here on his way to Tunis.

 

some are closed


8th century: Ghadames is established as an important trading point for caravans.

 

door to a residence

16th century: Ghadames is set under the Bey of Tunis.

 

residence hallway

1860: Ghadames is set under the Bey of Tripoli.

 

house interior

1914: The Italians reach Ghadames, three years after starting the occupation of the rest of Libya. They are met with strong resistance.

 

living area

1924: Italians finally get control over Ghadames.

 

adornment on the wall

1940: Ghadames is set under French control. Under World War 2, the old city is strongly damaged.

 

special room in the house
used for the bride to meet her husband
and for the widow to use after her husband's death

1951: After strong pressure, the Tunisian protectorate gives Ghadames up to the newly independent Libya.

 

old town

1955: The last French troops leave.

 

newly while washed for the celebration

1986: Families start to move out of the old town for good

Text from The Encyclopedia of the Orient

 

doing local dance

More Photos of the Ghadames dancers

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Baths at Leptis Magna Berber storage Col Qadhafi Cyrene Derna Ghadames Ghadames dancers Ghadames Museum Ghadames Sundown Lathrun Leptis Magna Leptis ruins Man Made River Qasr Roman Villa Sabratha Tobruk Tripoli Tripolil Museum

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