Old Town of Ghadames History, Travel Information, Hotels, Facts And More

Old Town of Ghadames

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NAME

Old Town of Ghadames

COUNTRY

Libya

ADDRESS

Libya

OLD TOWN OF GHADAMES PICTURE

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About Old Town of Ghadames

Old Town of Ghadames is a town located in northwestern Libya. It is an oasis Berber town in the Nalut District. The city is very close to the borders of Algeria and Tunisia It is spread in an area of approximately 462 kilometers. It was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site in the year 1986. Most of the citizens speak Ghadames which is the Berber language. The city is known for its older part which is surrounded by protective walls.

Some Lesser Known Facts About Old Town of Ghadames

Ghadames is one of the ancient pre-Saharan cities. It is also the finest example of a traditional settlement. According to tradition, the ground floor of the house is used as a storeroom; another floor is for family and the top open-air terraces for the women.
As it is an oasis town that's why got its name Ghadames which means "the pearl of the desert." It's a white building in the middle of the desert that looks like a pearl when seen from a faraway desert.
The most amazing thing in the old city is the houses which are made entirely of mud. The best thing about the mud houses is that they remain cool on hot sunny days while absorbs the heat in the day which is helpful on cold nights. The rooftops of all the houses are connected to each other. It is so due to traditional believes that women use these rooftops to travel to the town as according to Islam the women should not be seen by other men who are not from their family.
The remains of human settlement from the 4th millennium B.C. are found in the oldest part of the city. As the city is located in the middle of a desert and has a water source, anyone who is crossing the desert wants to settle here and pass some time here.
The city also has a black past as it was a center for the Arab slave trade in the 19th century.
Now there is a lack of water in the city and due to lack of economic stability, most of the people are forced to leave the traditional town which is a great threat to the site as it got the title of World Heritage due to its traditional settlement. Though efforts are made to make a site a tourist destination in the hope to get enough money to maintain its appearance. But due to lack of peace in the area as Libya is often involved in wars, the tourist afraid of traveling to the city.

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