Underground Cave Dwellings - Matmata, Tunisia
Posted by: 
tofixe
N 33° 32.645 E 009° 57.939
32S E 589650 N 3712023
In this village you can find several Earth Homes.
Waymark Code: WMX53B
Location: Tunisia
Date Posted: 11/28/2017
Views: 6
In this area it is traditional to excavate houses in the ground.
"Matmâta and other desert settlements in Tunisia have wonderful underground homes built to avoid the intense heat and strong desert winds. The homes are made by digging a large pit some 7m (23ft) deep and 10m (33ft) wide and then, around the sides of the pit, tunnelling in a few meters before cutting artificial caves. Matmâta, and a handful of similar towns across Tunisia, is situated on a shelf of sandstone that is soft enough to excavate with hand tools, but sturdy enough to provide homes for centuries.
The homes are grouped around a central courtyard and connected to other courtyards with more rooms forming an underground labyrinth."
--Source (
visit link)
The panoramic photo in the gallery was borrowed from the Green Prophet (
visit link)