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 includes 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

Straight out of a fairytale
Pearl among the emeralds
May 25, 2025Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada
May 25, 2026Hawa Mahal, Jaipur, Rajasthan

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Look, but don’t touch
The festival of joy and happiness
A place where Buddha attained enlightenment
Jul 11, 2024World Population Day
Blue Skies in Beautiful Bavaria
A gorge-ous place to drop in
Where is this ethereal mountain?
Heaven meets Earth!
Oct 14, 2025Village of Oia in Santorini, Greece
Mar 13, 2026Church of Notre Dame de Bon-Port, Les Sables-dOlonne, France
Apr 25, 2024Adélie penguins
Jul 27, 2025Barracudas at Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Sep 7, 2023Camels in the desert, United Arab Emirates
Oct 18, 2024Autumn in Central Park, New York, United States
May 29, 2025Miravet, Catalonia, Spain
Dec 23, 2024Dhamek Stupa, Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh
Jun 20, 2025Seljalandsfoss waterfall at sunset, Iceland
Oct 22, 2023Astoria-Megler Bridge, Oregon
Apr 28, 2025Impala in Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
Feb 5, 2026Salt evaporation ponds on the island of Gozo, Malta
This island is more than a mile high
Feb 28, 2026Oloupena Falls, island of Molokai, Hawaii, United States
Mar 21, 2026International Day of Forests
Sep 27, 2025Tank Lakes, Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Washington, United States
Jan 9, 2024Gayathri Reservoir, Karnataka, India
Who uses this grassy bridge?
Connecting the dots
Jun 6, 2024Les Braves monument, Omaha Beach, Normandy, France
Oct 28, 2024Pumpkin field, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Mar 23, 2026World Meteorological Day