Berber falu

One of the Berberian villages of the country which survived intact, Takrouna is 200 metres above sea level on top of a projecting rock. Dwellings are clustered by adapting to the edge of the rock face, and they ascend in the opposite direction towards the less steep side. The edges of the rock confine the growth of the village, the direction of which is defined by the incline of the slope. The characteristic, elongated, barrel-vaulted units of Berberian architecture are exposed here, organised around intermediary courtyards. Each small yard is bordered by several vaulted spaces that house a variety of functions: family residences, as well as household and agricultural activities. The descent of elongated components creates groups accessible on four 4 levels, three of which are the families’ living areas. The third, intermediate floor contains a mosque and the tomb of Sidi Abd el Kader, a local saint. As the village was strategically positioned, troops from New Zealand occupied it in 1943, causing devastating destruction in the region. As a result, only a fragment of the original development has survived.