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Grand Mosque of Ghadames, Libya
Grand Mosque of Ghadames, Libya
Author: Franzfoto (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)



The Old Town of Ghadamès is an oasis town in Libya that has been recognised as a World Heritage Site. The town is located in the extreme west of the country, near the border with Algeria and Tunisia, about 549 km from Tripoli.


The history of Ghadames goes back to Roman times, when it was a settlement called Cydamus. The Romans invaded Cydamus in the 1st century BC, during the reign of Emperor Augustus. A garrison was set up in the area under the reign of Emperor Septimius Severus. However the Romans pulled out of Ghadames when the Roman Empire was rocked by the Crisis of the Third Century (235-284 AD).

In the 6th century, the inhabitants were converted to Christianity by Byzantine missionaries. There was even a bishop stationed in Ghadames. By the 7th century, the area has been converted to Islam, when it was taken over by Muslim Arabs, and it remains so till present time.

The Old Town of Ghadamès was inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 10th session of the World Heritage Committee in Paris, France, 24 - 28 November, 1986.

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N30 7 60 E9 30 0
Inscription Year: 1986
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: V


Ghadames, Libya
Ghadames, Libya
Author: Franzfoto (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

Ghadames, Libya
Ghadames, Libya
Author: Franzfoto (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)

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