Zriba El Alia

Zriba El Alia is a Berber village built into a rocky hillside near Zaghouan, abandoned in the 1960s when its people moved down to new housing on the plain, and left to fall in ever since. Stone houses, lanes and a marabout shrine remain, some roofless, some still standing to full height, with the hills behind and a gorge below. A few artists and craftspeople have taken up buildings, and restoration has begun in parts.

History

The old village, Zriba Olia, "upper Zriba", is of Berber origin and lies about three kilometres south of Hammam Zriba; its people left it in the 1960s as the new town grew on the plain below. The zaouia at its heart, built in the 17th century, has been extensively restored (French Wikipedia, Zriba).

The main sights

• The stone houses - roofless and standing buildings along the hillside lanes.
• The marabout shrine - the domed tomb at the centre of the abandoned village.
• The hillside setting - the village built into rock above a gorge.
• The partial reoccupation - artists and craftspeople taking up some buildings.

When to go

October to May is the most comfortable. Morning and late afternoon light suit the stonework. Rain makes the lanes slippery.

What to expect

The buildings are unstable and entering them is genuinely risky. There is no interpretation and no facilities. The approach involves a rough track and a climb.

Nearby

Zaghouan is north, and Takrouna is south.