Taourirt Kasbah, Ouarzazate, Morocco 1

Set amongst a background of stunning mountain scenery and the Sahara Desert, the Kasbah Taourirt (former el Glaoui palace,) is one of the most beautiful Kasbahs in Morocco. In past times, it was a strategic location controlled by the Glaoui for the Saharan Caravan Route to West Africa. Unlike other Glaoui-era kasbahs, Taourirt escaped ruin by moonlighting as a Hollywood backdrop (Films: The Sheltering Sky, Gladiator, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time) and attracting the attention of Unesco, which has carefully restored small sections of the inner sanctum. Following the maze of stairwells to the top floor, here you’ll find a prayer room through keyhole archways, traces of stucco and an original tataoui (woven reed) ceilings.