Western Africa
Discover Ben Amera monolith, Decorated doorway in Oualata, Historic Ouadane and more.
Explore 5 illustrated places, read the stories behind them and look closer on the globe.
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landforms
Ben Amera, also written Ben Amira, is a prominent monolith in Mauritania's desert landscape. Broad curved slopes, dark streaks and a rough skirt of broken rock give it a distinctive form. Seen from a distance, its solid mass stands apart from the surrounding flat ground.
cultural places
Oualata is celebrated for painted house decoration. White lines and repeated geometric forms stand out against the reddish walls, turning an entrance into a distinctive piece of local craftsmanship. The designs are shown here without assigning an invented meaning to their motifs.
architecture
Ouadane belongs to a group of ancient Saharan ksour established as trading and religious centres serving caravan routes. Their compact streets and courtyard houses preserve an urban pattern shaped over centuries. These settlements connect the architecture of towns with the wider nomadic cultures of the western Sahara.
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Centre
architecture
The Saudi Mosque is also known as King Faisal Mosque. Its paired minarets and low prayer-hall roofs make a recognisable landmark in Mauritania's capital. Green details punctuate the pale walls and flat roofs.
Source: Saudi Press Agency
architecture
Tichitt is one of Mauritania's ancient caravan towns, grouped with Ouadane, Chinguetti and Oualata in a UNESCO World Heritage property. The mosque's restrained stone front and square tower sit within this long-lived settlement. Its rough walls contrast with the desert light.
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