Studios Atlas

Officially founded in 1983 by Moroccan producer Mohamed Belghmi, Atlas Studios turned Ouarzazate into one of the world's leading international filming locations, earning it the nickname 'Ollywood' or 'Hollywood of the desert'. The site preserves on-site part of the monumental sets from blockbuster productions filmed over the decades: Egyptian temples, pharaohs' palaces, ancient cities and historical replicas sit side by side across several hectares.

Films and series shot here or in the immediate surroundings include Gladiator, The Mummy, Kingdom of Heaven — whose reconstruction of medieval Jerusalem remains one of the most striking sets —, Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra, Babel, Prince of Persia and several scenes from Game of Thrones. The guided tour, generally fairly short, lets visitors wander among the sets and discover the behind-the-scenes filming methods.

Ouarzazate has hosted international film productions for even longer — one of the earliest notable films shot in the region was Jacques Becker's Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, predating the official creation of Atlas Studios.