Гхардая: Древний город в долине М’заб

Ghardaïa is part of a pentapolis, a hilltop city amongst four others, built almost a thousand years ago in the M’Zab valley. It was founded by the Mozabites, an Ibadi sect of the Berber Muslims. It is a major centre of date production and the manufacture of rugs and cloths.

The name of Ghardaïa has its origins in a female saint named Daïa who lived in a cave (ghār) in the area before it blossomed into a town inhabited by Ibadi Muslims who came to escape persecution from the Fatimid Caliphate in the north.

The M'Zab valley, in limestone plateau, was inscribed under the UNESCO Heritage List, is a unique conglomeration of five cities confined in area of 75 km² situated 600 km to the south of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. The original architecture of the semi desert valley is dated to early 11th century. It is ascribed to the Ibadis, with their cultural identity originally traced to the Maghreb; they had their capital at Tahert as an Ibadi Kingdom. They were forced to leave Tahert consequent to a devastating fire in 909 (it is reported that destruction was caused by the founder of the (Shi'ite) Fatimid Dynasty or 1053. Each village was planned in a diverse topography comprising a small island, a ridge, a hilltop, a peak and a recess. The villages were fortified in such a manner that they were inaccessible to the nomadic groups. The five villages set up with identical planning concepts were Ghardaïa, Melika, Beni Isguen, Bou Noura and El Atteuf. The identical “miniature citadels”, as they are termed, each had their own mosque with minaret functioning as watch towers, and the houses built around the mosque in concentric circles and surrounded by a high walls (extending up to the ramparts). The buildings together gave the feel of a fortress to each village. The mosque also provided for storage of grains and arms for defence.

The city is located within the Sahara Desert in northern central Algeria. Ghardaïa Province is divided into 13 communes or municipalities, which includes the Ghardaïa municipality. It is bordered by Ouargla and El Bayadh Wilayas. It is nestled in the M'zab valley, lying on the left bank of the Wadi Mzab, which is commonly dry throughout the year. The commune of Ghardaïa now covers an area of and includes a number of suburbs, towns and villages in addition to Ghardaïa. Suburb settlements include Mélika, Béni Isguen, Bounoura (Has Bunur) and El Atteuf (Tadjnint), all of which lie to the southeast of Ghardaïa city and the ancient ksar of Metlili Chaamba or Metlili which lies to the southwest. Outside of the Mzab valley, Berriane (Has Ibergane) and El Guerrara (Iguerraren) are towns of note, the first to the north, and the second to the northeast.

Ghardaïa's ancient water distribution system was devised by the Mozabites, as a response to the ephemeral flows of its oueds (rivers). Realising the preciousness of this natural resource, the Mozabites developed a unique hydraulic system of tunnels to harvest rainwater and divert it to the oases. They have an equitable water distribution to all gardens and also maintain good flood protection measures.

The unique layout of the Ghardaïa village is dictated by the rocky terrain of the region. Apart from the mosques and the housing pattern layout, with the mosque at the top of the hill, and the houses laid in labyrinthine alleyways, there is also a large market centre. The houses in particular are oriented in such a way that admits sunlight into every dwelling, as this is strongly believed to be healthy: "Inhabitants of the house where sun comes in will never see a doctor". Chimneys are also set in such a way that they do not encroach upon the comfort of neighbours.

The residents have preserved the original medieval architecture remarkably well; the valley to which Ghardaïa belongs is part of an official World Heritage Site. The Medabian quarter lies to the northwest. The military compound and hospital are located in the southern area. An interesting aspect of community welfare is the fact that they follow the rules of governance diligently, and also contribute to the maintenance and care of the community. Mozabites in the light of their rigid approach in negotiations, dominate the financial sector, particularly in banking and wholesale sectors. They also have their own mosque, cemetery, recreation and sporting activities. They have a patriarchal system of social inheritance. Another unique feature among the Mozabites is that starting from birth a “Mozabite is looked after by the community for education, work, marriage, and the building of a home. Touiza (groups of volunteers) are organised for building houses.”

Ghardaïa is the traditional heart of the M'zab valley and home of the Ibadi religious sect in Algeria. They do not subscribe to the doctrines of Sunnism and Shi'ism. The White Fathers, a Roman Catholic missionary society, live in a hermitage near the old city, and have a collection of books on the Sahara.

6.5% of the population has a tertiary education, and another 18.2% has completed secondary education. The overall literacy rate is 87.4%, and is 93.2% among males and 81.5% among females.

The town is served by Noumérat – Moufdi Zakaria Airport (or simply Ghardaïa airport). There is also a bus station. The airport is named after Algerian writer Moufdi Zakaria, who was born in Ghardaïa.