Algeria: M’zab Valley – Ghardaia
Ghardaïa is the principal town of the M’Zab Valley and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also founded in the 11th century by the Ibadis, Ghardaïa has long been a center of Ibadi culture and religious scholarship. Ghardaïa serves as the administrative and commercial center of the M’Zab Valley. It is famous for its vibrant markets, intricate jewelry, and traditional crafts. All the lower part of the town is about one large market – in the wide open square and all the surrounding narrow streets. The level above the market are the residential quarters, and then as you climb higher is the mosques, one of the largest of all the mosques in the M’Zab Valley.
