James Bond, Lawrence of Arabia, Alexander the Great or the Mummy himself have been strolled through the shady streets of Ait-Benhaddú . Or the cinematographic imitations of him. The mud fortress of this small town was locating halfway between Marrakech and the Sahara desert , in the High Atlas, has great architectural and historical value. For this reason, it was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987. It is so beautiful and harmonious, it incites both the fairytale landscape, that it has been a preferred location for filming not only the aforementioned films, but also many others, such as The Jewel of the Nile or the Gladiator.
The modest but crystal -clear river Unila separates the mud kasbah from the town , where the majority of the population now lives. In fact, the houses of the fortress are either closed or occupied by shops that sell handicrafts for those who stop here. Few are the locals who have their permanent residence in the castle, which is beautiful but not comfortable. They prefer to stay in the less aesthetic but more functional houses on the opposite bank. You just have to cross a few planks to cross the riverbed and go from one neighborhood to the other.
Shops inside the old Kasbah of Ait-Benhaddu, in Morocco.
The kasbah of Ait-Benhaddú is located in a strategic place halfway between the most important royal cities of Morocco and the desert sands. Ancestrally, caravans of camels carrying salt from the furthest reaches of the sand hell used to stop here to rest. In addition, Ait-Benhaddu, situated on a hill , dominates much of the surrounding flat landscape. That is why this mud citadel was built here. It was the Almoravids who decided to build the fortress in the 11th century . As a defensive place it was impregnable . And it enjoyed the water of the Unila river, a very important fact for any castle, but more so in these lands that are punished by the sun.
You have to pay a modest toll to enter the citadel. In theory, it is serving to restore the mud walls, which are falling down due to the passage of time and the rains that appear in this area more frequently than the landscape suggests.
Kasba Ait-Benhaddu, in Morocco.
The traveler, once inside, is discovering that it is not a single kasbah but several grouped together and in a rather uneven state of restoration. In fact, the modifications required by some film shoots have altered their originality, since sometimes they are exoticisms not typical of the region. But it’s easy to forget that in the shadow of the home run towers of pisé (unbaked clay) reaching skyward like an NBA center. The decoration of arches, windows and doors of the houses is exquisite.
Photography enthusiasts usually show up in the late afternoon, when the sun’s rays are most favorable for taking a warm picture. Beforehand, it is a good idea to stroll through the labyrinth and reach the top to enjoy the panoramic view, with views of the river and the town.
View from the old kasbah Ait-Benhaddú to the new area.
Movie fans can continue to the nearby town of Ouarzazate , where a film museum collects the sets – not always optimally preserved – of the films that have been shot in the area and, if they strike up a conversation with the locals, they will be able to discover some anecdote about the behavior of celluloid stars such as Omar Sharif, Angelina Jolie or Michael Douglas as they passed through this beautiful Moroccan area.
