The city of Figuig, located in the far south of the Oriental region, includes seven Ksour: "Oudaghir", "Laabidat", "Ouled Slimane", "Maiz", "Hammam Foukani", "Hammam Tahtani", and "Zenaga".
These Ksour, which form the core of social and commercial life in the region, are not just residential clusters, but places that tell stories of coexistence between different tribes, and also embody a cross-pollination of the cultural identity of the people of Figuig who combined Amazigh and Arabic, with a prominent presence of Sahrawi culture.
These Ksour, which reflect the authenticity and richness of the culture and architectural heritage of the region, are characterized by a unique design that highlights the specificity of Moroccan oases, while retaining authentic elements that make them unique from other oasis Ksour, as they included small markets, mosques, and gathering places.
The Ksour of Figuig, which take a rectangular or circular shape and are surrounded by walls equipped with watchtowers that played defensive roles in the past, are characterized by an architectural design that suits the desert climate of the region, as the walls of their buildings were constructed from mud mixed with "straw"; a material that provides thermal insulation and maintains coolness in summer and warmth in winter.
These Ksour are penetrated by narrow and winding alleys, which facilitate movement and provide shade, which reduces the intensity of the heat. You find the houses inside the Ksour adjacent to each other, and multi-story, with small openings in their walls that allow light and air to flow, prevent heat leakage, and are decorated with simple geometric and floral motifs, reflecting a high artistic taste and the ingenuity of ancient craftsmen.
A member of the Figuig Association for Heritage and Oasis Culture, Tayeb Jabri, confirmed in a statement to the Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP) that the Figuig region is made up of several residential clusters known as "Ksour", which are the result of urban and architectural transformations that have continued for centuries, noting that their number was estimated at 63 Ksour, of which only the seven currently known remain.
He highlighted that these Ksour are formed from mud architecture, as most of their buildings were created based on a unique mud that distinguishes the region from others, with the use of stones, lime, and the help of oleander branches (Alili), and palm wood in the construction of ceilings and windows.
He pointed out that these Ksour are characterized by their diverse alleys, as you find through alleys, dead-end alleys, open, and covered ones, where each alley had a specific role. Also, the houses, which consist of floors that sometimes reach three, have independent rooms with special doors to receive guests, and others designated for storage, not to mention places designated for livestock and animals.
He added that Figuig is known for the multiplicity of types of architecture; as it has the architecture of mosques, Zawiyas, shrines, and underground Hammams, in addition to military architecture that appears in the towers and walls to protect the Ksour of the region.
The Ksour of Figuig differ from their counterparts in other Moroccan oases, such as Draa and Tafilalet, in terms of design and adaptation to the local environment, as they are characterized by the combination of defensive and functional architecture, in addition to the use of mud with traditional techniques that ensure durability and sustainability. Also, their close relationship with the oasis agricultural field through irrigation systems enhances their specificity.
Water architecture has formed a distinctive element of these Ksour, which have about 36 water springs, and a number of underground Hammams, such as the "Tit Nehfsa" Hammam in the "Oudaghir" Ksar, which was built in the Marinid era during the seventh century AH, and the "Foukani" Hammam (Tajmalt) which is considered one of the oldest of these Hammams.
These water facilities had a special role, as they were located near mosques for bathing and ablution, and served as public "washhouses" frequented by women to wash clothes, in addition to their cultural symbolism as it was customary for grooms to bathe in these Hammams before the wedding date.
The Ksour of Figuig, which were not just buildings, remain a living witness to an ancient history and civilization; they are a story of human struggle for survival and adaptation to their harsh environment. They also carry within them a symbolic value linked to the cultural identity of the Kingdom, and thus constitute a human heritage that we must preserve for future generations.
