Citadel of Ait Ben-Haddou

The Citadel of Ait Ben-Haddou, located just outside Ouarzazate in southern Morocco, is a magnificent example of North African pisé clay construction dating back hundreds of years.

Although most of the buildings and maze-like alleyways you see now are from the 17th century, At Ben-Haddou was an important commercial town that linked ancient Sudan with Marrakech on one of several trans-Saharan trade routes.

Since 1987, At Ben-Haddou has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with six kasbahs and about fifty ksours (individual kasbahs) constructed of rammed earth, adobe, clay bricks, and wood. It was a fortified settlement with residences ranging in size from tiny to castle-like, common areas and associated buildings, a public square, a mosque, Muslim and Jewish cemeteries, and caravansaries. "It is an amazing ensemble of buildings, giving a complete vista of pre-Saharan earthen construction techniques," according to UNESCO. These reviews completely prove that The Citadel of Ait Ben-Haddou is one of the Most beautiful historical sites in Morocco. However, because natural materials are used, buildings and structures must be maintained on a regular basis or risk being destroyed by the weather.

At Ait Ben-Haddou, time seems to stop still, and when the citadel is devoid of tourists, it feels as if you've stepped back in time, into another planet. Ait Ben-Haddou is a favorite filming location, and it's easy to see why. Ait Ben-Haddou was featured in Gladiator, Jewel of the Nile, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, and Lawrence of Arabia, among many others, long before it became a star on Game of Thrones (as Yunkai, the Yellow City).

Location: Morocco.