Kasbah de Taourirt

Located in the heart of Ouarzazate, on a hill overlooking the valley, Kasbah Taourirt is said, according to local oral tradition, to have been built in the 17th century by the Imzwarn family, before being taken over and significantly expanded in the 19th century by the powerful Glaoui family — the lords of the South who dominated the High Atlas and controlled the trade routes between the Sahara and Marrakech until the mid-20th century. At its peak, the complex reportedly had nearly 300 rooms.

This imposing rammed-earth fortress, bristling with square towers adorned with geometric motifs, offers a maze of reception rooms, inner courtyards and passageways, of which only a restored section can be visited today — carved cedar wood ceilings, stucco and zellige tilework bear witness to the splendour of the pasha's former residence. Designated a national heritage site in 1954, the kasbah came under state control in 1956 before being purchased by the municipality of Ouarzazate in 1972.

⚠️ The condition of the site following the 2023 earthquake is worth checking before your visit — some sections may be temporarily closed or under restoration.