Tamimoun abounds with many archaeological sites, including Draa Palace. On the way to this historical landmark, you are accompanied by complete silence, a deceptive mirage, towering sand dunes, and vast areas of land still waiting to be explored—especially since, in this part of the land, there are places where no human foot has yet set foot.
Draa Palace evokes the atmosphere of the tales from “One Thousand and One Nights,” resembling a luxurious building that appears out of nowhere, isolated from the outside world. Although it is situated between the municipalities of Awlad Said and Qasr Kaddour, it is no more than 30 kilometers away from each.
Few people in the region who know about the palace can provide any details, other than that it was inhabited by a Jewish tribe. There are various theories about the palace’s purpose: some say it was a theater, a military center, or even a prison, while others describe it as a fortress due to its defensive walls and fortifications. Arrow slits are visible in its outer walls. There is also a story that in the 1980s, an American scientific team visited Timimoun, contacted the most famous local guides, and ventured into the great Western desert. After crossing a sea of sand, they arrived at the isolated palace, which was unknown to the local residents. The Americans asked the guides to leave them alone and not return until a week had passed. How they discovered the palace remains a mystery, and their findings are still unknown.
The fortress is built of stone and mud with double walls and has a circular architecture. It originally consisted of three floors, all of which have collapsed, leaving only evidence of their existence. The stairs leading to the upper floors are still visible. The palace features many rooms that are not connected to each other and lacks windows overlooking the outside. Entry to the palace is through a single door, and its walls are topped by a watchtower with a height of 2 meters. This fort is a testament to a bygone era of warfare,