Assa

Assa is an oasis on the southern edge of Morocco, where an old fortified settlement rises above a spring and palm groves. Its stone-built ksar grew around a religious complex associated with the Sufi saint Sidi Izza. The zawiya became a place of learning and pilgrimage, while Assa also served caravans travelling between Morocco and the Sahara. The oasis was thus both a refuge on desert routes and a center of religious life.