Ksar Draa

Ksar Draa is an abandoned ksar, a traditional fortified settlement, in Timimoun Province in Algeria's Sahara Desert. It consists of two concentric circular defensive walls built from sand, straw and clay, each about ten meters tall, enclosing three interior levels of living quarters, communal kitchens and a mosque, with a single entrance and no exterior windows. It is counted among the best preserved ksour in the region, though its exact age and original purpose are uncertain, with historians proposing it as a refuge for persecuted Jewish communities, a caravanserai on trans-Saharan trade routes, a military post or a detention site.