Tataouine

Tataouine is a small town in the south of Tunisia. It is a popular place for visitors, because there are many Berber places to visit in the countryside around it. Not to mention that its name sounds like the planet Tatooine.

A ksar is a fortified granary, built by Berber tribes. There is always only one entrance into the courtyard.

Once inside, you are surrounded on all four sides by many ghorfas (rooms). In this Ksar, they are four stories high and have been restored to their original condition.

This is the outside of the Ksar.

The surrounding countryside. Tunisia is a very dry place!

This is another ksar that I visited. It is less restored than Ksar Ouled Soltane, but it is just as spectacular.

Again, the countryside is very dry.

Many locals wear the traditional bolnos – a brown flowing cloak made from a light, blanket like, material. Now where have I seen that type of clothing before?

Outside this ksar is a local market. The stall in the front is selling dates, a major crop of Tunisia.

This is another ksar. This one is larger, but not as well restored as the two previous ones.

Inside one of the ghorfas (the long rooms that have been designed to store grain.

The road leading away from Ksar Ezzahra.

Another view of the local countryside. This time from the entrance to Ksar Jelidet.

Again, there is a single gated entrance into the ksar.

This ksar has not been restored as much as the others.

However, it is very large and appears to be still in use.

The next ksar is on top of a hill. However, as we got closer, we realised that this one is a bit different from the others.

Firstly, there is a fake dinosaur outside this ksar. Something tells me that this is not an authentic feature of Berber architecture!

The entrance also looks very different from the other ksars too.

Once inside, past the huge eagle, it is clear that this one has been renovated for the tourists. This is the cafe courtyard.

And the rest of it is being restored and turned into a hotel.

A big hotel, even though the rooms themselves aren’t very big.

A hotel with a jurrasic park theme?

The renovations were still going on when I was there.

The earthy and practical ghorfas.

There is a historical charm in the old ksar.

A charm that is going to be lost, when it becomes a hotel.

The hotel may provide some employment to the local town at the bottom of the hill. Still, I’d prefer the authentic feel of the ruins. However, there’s one more ksar to visit: Ksar Haddada.