Berriane

Berriane stands on an isolated rocky hill north of the M’Zab valley, surrounded by an oasis. Founded in the seventeenth century, its fortified ksar follows the principles of the older M’Zab settlements, with compact houses gathered around a mosque. Palm groves and gardens depend on the careful use of water in the dry Saharan environment. The town represents an extension of the architectural and communal traditions of the Ibadi communities of the valley.