The landmark you can walk to
Taourirt is the kasbah most visitors see first, because it stands right on Boulevard Mohamed V in the middle of town. It is the easiest heritage visit in Ouarzazate: no car, no long drive, one to one and a half hours on foot.
The original ksar dates from the seventeenth century. Thami el Glaoui, Pasha of Marrakech and a major landowner, turned part of it into a grand residence where his family lived until independence in 1956. Most of the building was restored in the 1980s.
What the visit shows
Outside, the earth walls carry geometric Amazigh motifs. Inside, the rooms show the wealth the Glaoui brought: cedar plank ceilings that are carved and painted, wall paintings and zellige tilework.
Set your expectations honestly. Only a small part of the kasbah is open to visitors, and because it sits in a modern town rather than a living ksar, it can feel less dramatic than other kasbahs on the 1000 Kasbahs road.
A short history of the house
Taourirt once answered to the caids of Tamnougalt, until authority moved to Telouet in 1874. Hammadi Glaoui enlarged and reorganised the kasbah in 1882 and, after marrying into the local ruling family, governed Taourirt until his death in 1937. Mohamed El Mahdi ben Hammadi took over in 1940 and governed until independence.
Thami Glaoui, remembered as the Lord of the Atlas, counted Taourirt among his main homes. During the French period his family controlled much of southeastern Morocco. He sided with the French against Sultan Mohamed V, was declared a traitor and lost his power after independence.
Combining Taourirt with the Cinema Museum
The Cinema Museum stands just across the boulevard, so the two visits fit into one easy half day. If you are lucky, you may see the Telouet Ahwach group dancing inside the kasbah; Ouarzazate also holds an annual Ahwach festival. Entry fees and opening hours can change, so confirm them on the spot.
Questions and answers
How much does it cost to visit Taourirt Kasbah?
The listed entry fee is 25 MDH. Fees can change, so check at the entrance.
How long should I plan for the visit?
Allow one hour to one hour and a half. Add another hour or so if you continue to the Cinema Museum across the road.
Where exactly is Taourirt Kasbah?
On Boulevard Mohamed V in central Ouarzazate, opposite the Cinema Museum, within walking distance of most hotels in town.
More places nearby
All destinations
Ait Ben Haddou
A fortified village of packed earth from the seventeenth century, on the old caravan road and on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1987. Thirty kilometres from Ouarzazate.
Telouet Kasbah
A weathered earthen palace from 1860 in the High Atlas, home of the Glaoui family, with painted cedar ceilings and Andalusian style rooms behind its crumbling walls.
Amridil Kasbah
A seventeenth century kasbah on the edge of the Skoura palm grove, still looked after by the founder’s descendants and once printed on the 50 dirham banknote.