Libya Part 3: Ghadamis

After two long days on the road, we finally reached Ghadames.  The most notable thing about the non Unesco part of the city is that there are so many new buildings here.  We were told by our guide that in an effort to protect Ghadames, the government moved all of the locals into new housing in the 70s. To the government's dismay, the new apartment style housing did not protect from the heat the way that Old Ghadames city does and the locals usually move back into their old houses in Ancient Ghadames city during the summer months.  And this is why this city is so cool.  Even with modern day technology and architecture, it does not stand up to the ancient buildings where the berber people had already discovered the best way to cope with the hot desert weather. 

A typical corridor- palm tree trunks, thick mud walls and lots of shade

It's easy to understand why Ghadames is on the UNESCO world heritage list. The architecture, shape and art work of this place is really one of a kind.  When entering Ghadames, there are a few characteristics that become obvious. The first is how the temperature immediately drops the moment you walk into the gates of the city.  The second is the white lime washed walls. The third is that every wall is connected.  In essence, this city is one gigantic organism.  With the exception of the hotel where Sophia Loren stayed in while filming The Road to Timbuktu,  you can literally walk the entire city from the roof tops. 

 It is said that the reason for this is because the roof tops was reserved for woman and children as they were not normally allowed in the lower corridors of the city. The last characteristic is the triangular and step like roof top forms that hug every corner/ edge of the city.  this triangular form is the same form found on the painted walls of the houses that hug the window sills.  It is said that this triangular form is typical of their berber designs. While in Ghadames, we visited numerous traditional houses, took a tour on the roof tops and had a camel stew lunch in one of the traditional homes.

Just outside of the city walls, you will find a small tourist center where one can find traditional berber arts.  Here a father son team work on leather making traditional leather moccasins.  Brightly decorated and again with the triangular forms, they resonate the traditional berber art forms that were repeated in the homes inside Ghadames. 

I'm not sure what the state of Ghadames is today- it's said that there was concern over the upkeep of the ancient city during the revolution.  I hope that it is still being maintained and restored as it is truly the "pearl" of the desert- an oasis with a beautiful organic past. 

Libya Part 2: Berber granaries, rusty doors and desert views

Main central countyard of Nalut

After our visit to Leptis Magna, the next day we set out to the South West of Tripoli in search of Ghadames.  What you should understand about Libya is that like any other developing country, the roads outside of the major cities are sparse and often not paved.  It looked like they were doing some major infrastructure work to build some two lane asphalt roads on top.  The journey is only 600km but would take us two days to make the journey. 

Granary of Nalut

 Along the way, we stopped to visit the granaries of Qasr Al Haj and Nalut.  Qasr Al Hag is a fortified granary built in a circular form with a large center courtyard.  As in any granary, there are remnants of the grinding tools and olive oil storage vases. Made from bricks, gypsum, and palm tree trunks, these monuments have stood for over 800 years.

Granary of Nalut

While Qasr Al Haj is interesting, it is the twisting narrow corridors that give the granaries of Nalut character over Qasr Al Haj.  It feel like the granary organically grew over time- with new granaries being added on creating a maze of stacked granaries.  It is amazing to still see the palm tree doors and ledges sticking out from these mud structures.  Part of it reminded me a bit of Santorini and the way that the buildings hug the mountain wall.

One thing that I always enjoy taking pictures of are doors. What was really cool about all these old berber villages that we stopped at were the rusty metal doors that gave a bit of life to these mud, rock, brick structures.  It almost seemed odd that these old dilapidated buildings would have such solid doors to protect them.  I also loved the textures of the rust, and different layers of paint on the doors that really gave a feeling that these doors have endured a lot in their time and have a story to tell.

On the way back from Ghadamis, we stopped at a random Berber village on the Western Mountains just outside of Tripoli.  Most of the Berber houses are abandoned but I wasn't surprised to see that many of them were still in use.  These structures which were dark and a bit damp helped to keep the villagers cool against the harsh hot weather. 

The Berber villages and Granaries are an integral part to Libyan culture.  They tell a story about how the people survived over time, how they had to work together and still do to this day to live.

View towards Tripoli from the western mountains

Libya Part I : Leptis Magna

Ok. So I never actually thought I would ever go to Libya but when my mom asked me I thought to myself why not? It just sounded like one of those really off the beaten road type of places that most people would never go to.  My first question was "what are we gonna see there?" My second was "are we allowed to get in the country?".

To answer my first question- to the rest of the world that wasn't banned from entering the country, the Libyan coastline is dotted with rich history- from the Berber people to the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, Alexander the Great, the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire, they have all ruled Libya at one point in history or another.  In the early 1900s (prior to the former Gadaffi regime), Libya was part of Italy until about 1930.  It was of course a surprise that our driver spoke fluent Italian, remnants of the connections of the European nation not far across the Mediterranean.

One of the first places we visited in Libya is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Leptis Magna (now known as Sabratha), the birthplace of the Roman Emperor Septimius Serevus who ruled from 193-211. Much of the work done in Leptis Magna was carried out during the Italian occupation but there is still so much to uncover at Leptis Magna.  One of the nicest things about Leptis Magna versus more popular ruins like Ancient Ephesus in Turkey is that the tourist industry isn't as developed and thus you virtually have the place to yourself. Okok! enough history, onto the pictures already!

The most notable things to see at Leptis Magna is the Septus Severin arch. The thing is massive!

the Ampitheater

 In 2005, a group of Archeologists from Hamburg discovered a series of mosaics, kept intact and protected by mother nature as depicted below:

Uncovered mosaics overlooking the Mediterranean Sea

The Mosaic work from Leptis Magna is considered some of the best in the world

The Venus Forum

One of the most magnificent things on site is the Theater.  The degree to which this theater has been reconstructed is truly magnificent.  The fact that the theater overlooks the blue/green of the sea in the background adds a touch of je ne sais pas quoi that I have not experienced at any other ancient ruin.

Other things to see at Leptis Magna include the Septimius Serevus forum with its medusa like heads and the Roman Basilica with its intricate stone work around the doors. The immense size of the Roman Basilica is also something to marvel.  We spent a good four hours walking around but could have easily spent the whole day there.  

Leptis Magna is an incredible site to visit.  In addition to the site, the fact that it sits on the sea really sets it apart from other sites.  This is one of those must see sights as it is truly unparalleled and a hidden gem