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By
Toni Dabbs
 Were it not for its use as a movie location, Ait Benhaddou might have
fallen into total disrepair. On the other hand, were it not for Ait
Benhaddou, location scouts might not have found the Hammada desert region
of Morocco nearly so attractive.
Many people credit "Lawrence of Arabia" director David Lean for opening
the region to film making. He likely chose it as the location for his 1962
classic because of its authenticity, but his colleagues soon discovered
that it had other attributes amenable to film making, such as stunning
scenery; excellent lighting, exotic extras, and minimal bureaucracy.
Before long, a movie industry began to develop around the desert town of
Ouarzazate, with a growing list of credits: "Jesus of Nazareth" (1977),
directed by Franco Zeffirelli; "Jewel of the Nile" (1985), Lewis Teague;
"The Living Daylights" (1987), John Glen; "The Last Temptation of Christ"
(1988), Martin Scorsese; "The Sheltering Sky" (1990), Bernardo Bertolucci;
"Kundun" (1997), Martin Scorsese; and "The Mummy" (1999), Stephen Sommers.
One of the star attractions in the area was Ait Benhaddou, a traditional
Moroccan village perched on the south foot of the snow-capped Atlas
mountain chain about 30 kilometers outside Ouarzazate. Established in the
11th century, it once commanded the surrounding area and served as a major
stop for camel caravans carrying salt south across the Sahara and
returning with ivory and gold.
The earthen architecture of Ait Benhaddou displays some of the earliest
surviving examples of unusual geometric arrangements of mud bricks at
oblique angles and in zig-zag patterns. However, this kind of construction
is vulnerable to the elements, so regular restoration is required to
maintain it.
The village was starting to look a little run down in 1977, so its lower
facades were restored for the filming of "Jesus of Nazareth." With more
film makers wanting to use the village as a location, the Moroccan
government quickly realized the importance of protecting this treasure.
In 1986, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Technically, Ait Benhaddou is a ksar, a collective grouping of kasbas
(family homes), other buildings and communal areas within defensive walls.
The walls are reinforced by corner towers, each with elaborate mud brick
decoration and zig-zag shaped gate. Interior buildings include a mosque,
small castles, modest houses, stables, lofts and silos. Among communal
areas are shared sheep pens and a market place. All are connected by a
maze of winding, narrow streets.
The village contains examples of all main types of ksar construction
techniques found in southern Morocco: ramming mass worked into panel brick
and bullheader, molded earth, mud brick, etc.
Although Ait Benhaddou might at first appear to be a ghost town, it still
has approximately 700 residents. And around 130,000 tourists visit the
village each year. It’s hard to say whether they come to admire the
architecture or to walk through the "set" of a favorite film. Perhaps
both.
One recent tourist gave the following description of his visit:
"The mud built fortified towers of Ait Benhaddou rise sharply towards the
sky, as though competing to reach the heavens. Tiny windows spy at the
visitor. It was from them that warriors looked out for the next raid from
hostile tribes.
"A beautiful garden near the entrance greeted me. I wandered the narrow
alleys. At every corner was a photographic opportunity: a tired donkey, a
woman with her veil, dates being dried..."
And of course, film crews continue to come, too. Recent movies made at Ait
Benhaddou include "Gladiator" (2000), directed by Ridley Scott, and
"Alexander" (2004), Oliver Stone.
Toni Dabbs
is a regular contributor to The Cultured Traveler
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