Ghadames. A true Oasis

Ghadames stands still as one of the most valuable spots in Libya for the traveller. Here you'll find a tranquil old city, with covered streets that are both dark and with far lower temperatures than what you find outdoors. And of course, the colour chosen, is white. Ghadames represents popular engineering, and is the result of a complex knowledge on how to deal with extreme temperatures. The positioning of the houses are far from casual. Every angle, every wall, every opening in the roofs over the alleyways, are parts of the same organism.
Even if Ghadames still stands, the people have moved out of it, into the modern settlement nearby. They still take refuge in the old city when summer becomes unbearable. But with the locals out, and their dwindling knowledge on structuring of houses with natural air conditioning, an important science could be lost.
In earlier days, the life line of Ghadames was trade through the Sahara, including slavery. Today the 10,000 people here make a living out of agriculture. Tourism could and should revive, and become even greater than it was in the colonial period.





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By: Tore Kjeilen