The Kasbah at Tizourgane

The 13th century Kasbah at Tizourgane seems to appear from nowhere on the road to Äit Baha. This medieval fortress comes as quite a shock in surroundings which seem too remote, too harsh for human habitation and construction. You wonder how on earth it was built in such a lonely place.

From Tafraoute we climbed steep roads and descended into still valleys, the rocky landscape dramatically changing shape, colour and texture as we made our way.

At times the landscape of towering purple pinnacles reminded me of the Andes bordering Argentina and Bolivia, at others those typically long, silent stretches of road full of agave cactus and flat topped mesas in Northern Mexico, donkeys ambling out of nowhere asking to be photographed.

And then suddenly there it is. What appeared to be a mirage from a distance increasingly came into focus, an impressive configuration of high walls, turrets, fortified gates and dwellings.

The term "Kasbah" had an exotic connotation for me. I always thought of a kasbah as being something like a "pleasure dome", a Kubla Khan-esque palace or exotic seraglio - not that I really understood what a seraglio was either.

A "kasba" is a fortified home or village made for a ruling family.

Kasbah's are (according to my guide book) usually built in highly strategic positions, either atop hills or along escarpments where enemies can be easily spotted and repelled. Kasbahs within towns are highly secure residential areas with a separate set of walls, gates and look out towers - a city within a city.

Staying a night at Tizourgane got the romantic notions about Kasbahs into perspective.

In the heat of the day, it was exciting exploring the kasbah's warren of lane ways with its half tumbled down palaces, granaries, houses and workshops - even an ancient mill and bakery with oven for making bread still in use.

On the other hand, sleeping between those thick, stone walls on a Winter's night is challenging. Even with multiple covers and an electric heater I found it hard to tolerate the freezing conditions. The evening we were there we were joined by several British rock climbers. They shivered and groaned for most of the night. We competed in the "wee hours" for the one toilet available to the auberge guests.

Plumbing, wiring and heating - indeed, any sort of renovation - is tough work and by all accounts expensive considering the logistics and location of the kasbah.

And as usual there was a cat to two to observe our every movement!

 

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