Aït Benhaddou, Morocco May 25, 2024

Are you looking for sandy charms? Come to Aït Benhaddou, Morocco, situated along the old caravan route linking the Sahara to Marrakesh. This UNESCO World Heritage Site showcases Moroccan earthen clay architecture, a building technique that uses sun-dried mud to make structures. Although none of the buildings here are believed to predate the 17th century, they are constructed using techniques and styles that are much older. Located on the gentle slopes overlooking the Asif Ounila (Ounila River) is the ksar, a fortified village of Aït Benhaddou, with mud-brick structures. Clustered within a defensive wall with a gate and corner towers, ksars are a great representation of classic pre-Saharan dwelling. The ksar"s communal landscape include a public square, a mosque, grain-threshing areas beyond the fortifications and a caravanserai—a type of roadside inn, among other features. So, if you are seeking a journey off the beaten path, Aït Benhaddou awaits you!

© Grant Faint/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

May 25, 2025Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada
May 25, 2026Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, Rajasthan

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Apr 16, 2024Union Square, Manhattan, New York, USA
Nov 19, 2023Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve, Estonia
Apr 30, 2026Keukenhof Gardens, Lisse, Netherlands
Jan 15, 2026The fishing village of Reine, Norway
Mar 19, 2026Short-beaked echidna, Adelaide Hills, Australia
Nov 2, 2023Death Valley National Park, California, USA
Sep 29, 2025Rainbow houses, Netherlands
May 12, 2024Guanaco mother and baby
May 14, 2025Porto Flavia, Sulcis-Iglesiente, Sardinia, Italy
Jun 7, 2024Family of humpback whales, Dutch Harbour, Alaska
Apr 6, 2026Hirosaki Castle with cherry blossoms, Hirosaki, Japan
May 24, 2026Tre Cime Nature Park, South Tyrol, Italy
Nov 2, 2024American bison in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Dec 2, 2023Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India
Nov 28, 2025Val Brandet, Brescia, Lombardy, Italy
Dec 22, 2024Crystal Pier, San Diego, California, United States
Jan 9, 2025Sossusvlei sand dunes, Namib desert, Namibia
Dec 3, 2025Sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, United States
Nov 30, 2025Christmas market in Leipzig, Germany
May 11, 2025Leopard mother grooming her cub, Jao Reserve, Botswana
Aug 19, 2024Bufadero de la Garita, Gran Canaria, Spain
Dec 22, 2023Castlerigg Stone Circle, Cumbria, United Kingdom
Mar 30, 2026Demoiselle cranes, India
Oct 17, 2024Kochia, Hitachi, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
Feb 18, 2025The Great Blue Hole, Belize
Aug 30, 2025Whale shark
Feb 15, 2026Humpback whales, Monterey Bay, California, United States
Dec 2, 2024Moose, Denali National Park, Alaska, United States
Mar 31, 2024A great egret in the Pantanal
Sep 19, 2025Thousand Islands region, St. Lawrence River, USA-Canada border