Ouarzazate’s only real sight of historical interest is the former el Glaoui palace, the Taourirt Kasbah. The el Glaoui clan controlled one of the major southern caravan routes to West Africa and were given extensive power by the French during colonial rule in exchange for keeping the southern tribes subdued. The Taourirt Kasbah was built in the 19th century and reached the height of importance during the 1930s, when the el Glaoui powers were at their peak. Although located at a strategic junction of the caravan routes, the kasbah was never actually resided in by the el Glaoui chiefs.

Housed here would have been the second tier of command, such as the dynasty’s sons and cousins and their extended — numbering in the hundreds — entourages of servants, builders, and craftsmen. The palace has close to 300 rooms and within the kasbah were more than 20 riads.