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Matmata

South of Gabes and 450 km from Tunis, in the southeast of Tunisia, is the Djebel Demer, a mountain chain on the edge of the desert. Matmata, 600 m above the sea level near Dhahar, is famous for its troglodyte dwellings and its fascinating lunar landscapes. The Berbers probably dug out these underground homes in order to hide from their enemies.

Aerial view of the Troglodytes

The resulting cavities are about 15 m in diameter and 10 m deep in average. These underground dwellings, cut of the living rock, are remarkably cool in the torrid heat of the summer and warm during winter.

The dug out patios surrounded by bedrooms are all the more astonishing for the fact from outside nothing leads the visitor to expect such architecture.

© Photo Copyright Tunisian National Tourist Office

Ksar Hadada

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