M'zab Valley, Algeria Click Image to Enlarge  (JPG) (580,451 bytes) ( 1,506 x 1,486 )

Located 600 km south of Algiers, Algeria in the heart of the Sahara Desert, the five ksour (fortified villages) of the M'Zab Valley form an extraordinarily homogenous ensemble. Founded between 1012 and 1350, the M'Zab Valley has conserved practically the same way of life and the same building techniques since the 11th century. Each of these miniature citadels, surrounded by walls, is dominated by a mosque, the minaret of which functions as a watchtower. The mosque is conceived as a fortress; around this building, which is essential for communal life, are houses built in concentric circles up to the ramparts. The perspective view image was acquired October 8, 2003, and is located at 32.5 degrees north latitude, 3.6 degrees east longitude.