Pit houses
Around a round courtyard.
Tanya Dedyukhina — CC BY 3.0 · LBM1948 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Robande — CC BY 3.0
A small Berber town in the hills of southern Tunisia where some families still live in traditional underground homes. A house is made by digging a large round pit in the ground, then carving rooms and caves into its walls that stay cool in summer and warm in winter; larger homes link several pits through tunnels. The outside world knew little about these homes until 1969, when heavy rain fell for twenty-two days and many collapsed. The villagers sought help from the authorities in Gabès, and New Matmata was later built above ground. Some families welcome visitors into their homes to show the rooms, the stone hand mill and everyday objects, for a small fee or a tip. The best known is the Hotel Sidi Driss, where scenes of the Lars family home in the first Star Wars film were shot. Matmata is usually visited on a day trip from Djerba or on a southern circuit towards Douz and the ksour of Tataouine. Remember that people live in these houses, so ask before taking photos.
Around a round courtyard.
The Lars home on film.
Hand mill and rooms.
Old Matmata, Gabès governorate, about 45 km south-west of Gabès
Yes, some families do, and they welcome visitors for a small fee or a tip.