Kasbah du Glaoui

The ruined kasbah of Pasha El Glaoui stands on a rocky promontory above the town, visible from most of Tineghir. The complex was built in the early 20th century as a symbol of El Glaoui's control over this corner of the pre-Saharan south, and its scale still impresses despite decades of abandonment. Crumbling pisé towers, collapsed courtyard walls, and hollowed-out rooms give a sense of how grand it once was.

The kasbah is not officially open for visits, but the hill itself can be climbed for a remarkable panorama over the palmery and the rooftops of Tineghir. Sunset is the best time: the entire oasis turns gold, and on clear evenings the High Atlas shows sharp and pale to the north. A guide from town can take you up and point out the remains of the original structures.

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A story
The kasbah was built in 1919 after Thami El Glaoui — the most powerful and most controversial Berber lord in 20th-century Morocco — received the submission of the Aït Todra tribes. It covered seven thousand square metres at its peak. El Glaoui collaborated with the French protectorate and was widely reviled for it; when Morocco gained independence in 1956 the kasbah was abandoned, and the locals have been quietly reclaiming the mud bricks ever since.