Ksar El Khorbat

Not far from Tinjdad, approx 7 km towards Tinerhir, you find one wonderful Ksar El Khobart, worth to visit. It is an ancient Ksar, a fortified village, made of soil, in the oasis. It is still inhabited, many people are living inside, so it is very genuine place. Nice place, interesting to go through the whole building, one big such building. There are many small gates, more like tunnels than gates, it is such labyrinth of gates and tunnels can I say.

I took one promenade through, it was nice walk, exploring of all places I could find there. I met schoolchildren on the way to the school. They had funny for my a few Berber words, touched my hair, laughing and talking, but I didn't understand, of course. So many Berber words I couldn't.
There is Museum and also handcraft workshop for woman and all them try to keep this Ksar alive as much as possible for to protect its historical and architectural patrimony.

For me it was extra exciting because it was my dream to see one Ksar inside also, to go through those narrow gates and so, to see how it is built, but never have been lucky to do it until now.

You can even stay there over night in Gite Elkhobart which is located just inside the Ksar.

There were many stairs here and there, to the right and to the left, up and down, so you could almost get lost if you forgot which side you would taking to go up.

It was very nice and comfortable room, spacious also and it was worth the money because it is not every day you have possibility to see any Ksar inside. Though the price was good, 400 DH including "royal" breakfast.

Very exciting it was there, almost for me, I loved it to go overall and look and so.

So nice interesting architecture it was, which work they had when they built all those Ksour and Kasbah and made it only of soil, incredible.  It would be interesting to know, how many years it took before it was finished.

So even a swimming pool it is there, suit good when it is really warm weather. Wonder how warm it is inside then, but probably not so warm even if it is 40 degree, maybe?

Nice, but a little sparse oasis around, anyway nice to walk around and look at the life around, children playing, women hanging laundry, men cleaning dry leaves, etc. Calm and tranquility is everywhere so I had no desire to leave, but ... ☺

Tazotas, near El Jadida

 

Tazotas are very interesting buildings. They are located near El Jadida and worth to visit. 

 

  

After my trip to Tinjdad and Erg Chebbi I flew to Casablanca were I rented a car and drove to El Jadida. I like El Jadida, it is nice calm and hasslefree town. I have been there already once before so I look forward to come there again. Stayed at the same Dar el Jadida as last time, because I liked the place and people there.

 

Well in El Jadida I met one my friend and he took me around El jadida for to see surrounding. We drove also a round to those Tazotas which are really interesting. 

 

 

Theirs origin time is probably unknown. 

 

On one website I found that:

"The word (Tazota) means in Tamazight the pot pie shape, a meaning that explains the likely fact that this building has its origins back to the days of the Phoenicians and Romans era."

Wikipedia say that the local nomadic population from 1916 to 1936 under the protectorate built these huts and used for theirs refuges residence.
Tazotas remind me of Trulli in Italy in Apulia, but also of Nuraghe on Sardinia. 

 

Trulli were constructed as temporary field shelters and storehouses or, as permanent dwellings by small proprietors or agricultural labourers, so maybe Tazotas origin are most similar to Trulli?

One picture of trulli

While Nuraghe are much more older, developed during the Nuragic Age between 1900 and 730 BCE. They presumed to have served as defense installations or princely castles.

Picture of Nuraghe on Sardinia (unfortunately I could not go closer than that)

 

 

 But back to Tazotas. If you go from El Jadida you find them along the road R316 towards Oualad Frej.

There are many tazotors, but they are often part of farms so you need to ask the people who own these farms if you can go and look. But people are helpful and let you in. Nowadays, tazotor is used as a layer for grain, straw, etc. But you can still find one or two freelancers, although they are more ruined because no one takes care of it. 

the window

 All around it is green and nice so it is really worth an excursion when you are in El Jadida or driving around the area, maybe on the way to Marrakech of Kasbah Boulaouane?