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

More Desktop Wallpapers:

May 17, 2025A delta in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy
Sep 30, 2024Walruses in Svalbard, Norway
Jan 9, 2026Muir Woods National Monument, California, United States
Mar 26, 2024Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
Mar 18, 2024Elephant Rock, Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia
Jan 16, 2026Leopard at Etosha National Park, Namibia
Apr 8, 2026Seattle, Washington, United States
Mar 19, 2024Tree frog on leaf
May 30, 2025Little Pigeon River, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, United States
Jan 23, 2026Þorrablót, Icelandic midwinter festival
Oct 25, 2023Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah, USA
Jun 22, 2025Amazon rainforest, Ecuador
Oct 4, 2023Tarantula Nebula
Aug 29, 2025Aerial view of Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain
Dec 24, 2023Town Hall Square, Tartu, Estonia
Sep 12, 2024Dolphin pod near Réunion island
Apr 27, 2026The glass dome of Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Milan, Italy
Nov 4, 2025Tower Bridge, London, England
Dec 6, 2023Dardagna waterfalls, Bologna, Italy
Oct 30, 2025Camels, Rajasthan, India
May 8, 2026Sardinian donkey mare and foal, France
Aug 28, 2023Dubrovnik, Croatia
Jul 2, 2025Spine-cheeked anemonefish
May 19, 2024Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Liguria, Italy
Apr 30, 2024Cheetah in Tanzania
Jan 28, 2026Whanganui National Park, Retaruke, New Zealand
May 11, 2026Great Barrier Reef from above, Queensland, Australia
Apr 18, 2024Medieval city walls, Ávila, Spain
Aug 3, 2024Three Natural Bridges, Wulong National Park, China
Mar 20, 2024Peveril Castle, Derbyshire, England