The Forbidden City: Why Outsiders Are Banned Here

[00:00:00]Imagine a city that was built a thousand years ago and today still stands the same as if time had refused to come there. A place where seeing its houses, the world's greatest architect stopped his pen and said, "I have architecture not in books, in the desert learned this city is not in Europe, not in America. This city in the chest of Africa is in the depths of Algeria's Sahara desert and its name is Gardia.

[00:00:31]Today the whole world's tourists go to Asia, go to Europe, go to the Middle East. But forget this corner of Africa where in the middle of the desert faith built a complete civilization that still lives today, that still breathes today, that still gives the world this message.

[00:00:48]If there is faith, then on sand also a city rises. So let us today together open that secret which is hidden in the Sahara's dust.

[00:01:06][music] >> Gardia, the secret of the desert, city of faith. Algeria. This country is only a name. In reality, it is a continent.

[00:01:17]Africa's largest country. 2.381 million km. [music] three times bigger than America's Texas. And in the heart of this great country toward the south, about 600 km away from Algeria's capital, is a valley. Its name is Mab Valley. And of this same valley, the largest, the brightest, the oldest gem is Gardia. This city is inhabited at an elevation of about 450 meters above ground level on a most difficult limestone land where in summer the temperature goes above 45° C where the question of rain is none annually less than 90 mm of water where the land is hard and rocky and yet here a civilization was born that even after a thousand years remains established.

[00:02:08]Is this not a miracle?

[00:02:10]When you look from above, then this city looks like such a geometric pattern as if someone on the chest of the desert had written a verse of the Quran.

[00:02:20]In the city's name itself, a whole story is hidden. Gardiah is made of two Arabic words joined. Gar meaning cave, cavern, place of refuge and da name of a holy woman, a saintly woman. Tradition is that centuries ago, a kind-hearted, pious woman whose name was Da lived in a cave of this valley. She worshiped Allah. She helped people. She showed the way to travelers of the desert. And when on this holy land, Muslims built their first city. [music] Then they named this city after this woman, Gardiah, meaning Dia's cave.

[00:03:01]This city is a memorial to a woman, a vow to a saintly woman. And perhaps for this reason in this city is a strange spiritual peace that every comer feels.

[00:03:13]Now we go back in time about a thousand years ago in the year 99 AD in North Africa. A political earthquake comes the Fatimid [music] caliphate which is a powerful force of Shia Islam destroys the Rustid Empire.

[00:03:34]Tahert which was the center of Ibadi Muslims was their capital was their soul. It comes into the grip of fire.

[00:03:43]Now you will think I Muslims who are these this is one of Islam's oldest branches. Neither Sunni nor Shia but a separate and perhaps Islam's oldest scholarly tradition. Ibati Muslims like simplicity, believe in equality, hate showoff, consider hard work, worship.

[00:04:06]When the Fathomids took their home away, then these people set out toward the desert, toward the south, [music] toward the depths of the Sahara. They wanted such a place where no one could oppress them, where they could live according to their faith. And they found the Mazab Valley, a valley that was so harsh and unfavorable that no enemy would bother to come there. But these Muslims made this hard land their [music] home. And there they built such a civilization whose example is not found in the world.

[00:04:39]Ibati Muslims did not just build one city. They built five cities. A complete system, a complete world. History has given these five cities a name.

[00:04:50]Pentapoulos [music] meaning a collection of five cities.

[00:04:54]First city Eluf built in the year 1 AD. It is the oldest city. Second city Bonura. Silent, peaceful, small but full in its soul.

[00:05:10]Third city Malikica on the top of a hill as if it wants to touch the sky. Fourth city, Benny is gin which is called the holy city. Here only Muslims can enter and that too before sunset because night here is for Allah. And the fifth city Gardiah the [music] largest, the most famous, the brightest, center of trade, cradle of knowledge, heart of civilization. These five cities are a few kilometers away from each other.

[00:05:43][music] But together they make such a system that UNESCO in 1982 declared the world's most valuable heritage.

[00:05:53]Now come to this part which perhaps will surprise you the most. Gardia's buildings. If you New York, Los Angeles or Chicago's any top architecture school in study, [music] then your teacher has a name definitely taken. Le Corbusier, French Swiss architect, [music] modern architecture's father. Do you know that this great architect himself said, "I have architecture in Paris, not in Algeria's desert in Gardia's streets learned in the year 1931, Lorbusier visited Gardia and he was stunned. He saw every house the same, but every house different.

[00:06:41]Every door of one height, every street of one width. No pride, no showoff.

[00:06:49]Equality. Complete equality. Houses, roofs, flat white color to push the heat back from inside. Cool in summers. Also [music] without AC, without electricity. L Corbusier from Gardia's influence his famous Athens charter wrote which modern city's planning became the foundation [music] and his most famous building in France Chapel of Ron whose curved roof seeing all Europe was surprised that roof is like Mazab Valley's mosque CD Ibrahim a desert mosque's echo in Europe's [music] church.

[00:07:35]Now just into these houses, let's peek.

[00:07:39]Gardia's every house an expression of a philosophy is from outside completely simple. No decoration, no window that opens to the outside. No balcony. Why?

[00:07:53]Because mazabi philosophy says life for the outside is not life for the home is for the family is for privacy is but from inside this house a paradise is a central courtyard in which sunlight comes in which air comes and this house to build sand and lime is used every city in a mosque on the hills highest place this just worships place is not this city's heart is and minouret minouet here only for Azan is not minet a guard's tower also is because when these people here came then enemies also were and from the minouet to every side watch could be kept gardia's jia mosque in the 11th century was built [music] today also same doors Same arches, same pulpit.

[00:08:57]You must have thought in the desert water.

[00:09:01]This is that question which first comers also would have asked. But Mazabi mined into the desert's depth looked and found water under the ground in Sahara's ancient water reserves. They a system built whose name is Al Fogada.

[00:09:20]This a subterranean canals network is which water from kilometers pulls brings and to date palm gardens reaches without pump without electricity.

[00:09:33]UNESCO has it extraordinary human intelligence declared. And from this water more than a 100,000 date trees on the sand's chest standing are Gardia's dates in whole Algeria famous are their taste like the desert's honey.

[00:09:55]Mazab's resident style of living their cultural identities mirror is men's specific dress long white robe and on head white cap consists women's dress in also a clear social distinction is found unmarried girls face keep open [music] however after marriage in they themselves in complete white veil cover in which for eyes just a thin slit is interesting thing is that for their widows and divorced women also dresses separate codes are if right eye covered is then this widowhood's sign is while left eyes being covered this thing indicates that woman divorced is embodi social systems foundations completely on unity and equalitybased are in this society any individual's superiority standard not his cast race wealth or social status at all is but near them humans mutual status only by their action and piety determined is their judicial systems unique glimpse here of collective decisions in is seen any kind of oppression, dispute or injustice in case of decision-taking authority only one individual with not is but villages notables and elders on consisting ashura this responsibility performs laws supremacy this council before rich and poor mosques imam be or any common citizen all equal equal are near them law before everyone's accountability equal is which directly prophetic [music] eras that golden systems memory refreshes where justice's scale for everyone equal is despite the permission of four marriages in Islamic law the mazab trib's tradition is unique here among men the one wife principle as an unwritten law is prevalent. The second marriage's path from first wife's consent passes. Now you must have understood that getting this permission almost impossible is now this civilization's soul. Let us understand mostly in the world capitalism is market is bargaining is but in Gardiah in the market go price fixed is and that same price pay cannot bargain do. Why? Because mazabi philosophy says trade honesty is if price fair is then bargaining others disrespect is here no one anyone disturbs [music] no noise deception in mazabi society every person's responsibility fixed is waters management who will do graveyard who will clean mosque who will take care of poor's help who will do this system no government runs this system community runs and for this reason even after a thousand years this system running is if in Algeria from anyone you ask best traders who are then one answer comes Mazabi Mazabi people only in Gardia do not live they in whole Algeria spread are in Alers in Oruran in Constantine but they wherever They go their heart in Gardiah leave behind in the world. Cities how are built grid pattern straight roads blocks houses to numbers given are but Garda has a thousand years ago a completely different method learned city's center mosque from mosque come out around market around market houses around houses walls around walls graveyard around grave Graveyard date gardens around gardens desert everything in its place with a plan life death spirituality food all in a circle mazabi civilization if you have to understand then they're graveyards see these graveyards cities walls outside are because mazabi philosophy says Life cities inside, death after's world outside, [music] but both each other near and graves completely simple. Because Mazabi says death after rich and poor equal are king and slave equal are grave one like should be.

[00:15:18]here education religious and secular both every mazabi child Quran also reads and mathematics also and business [music] also but in every story a turn comes today's garda modernism storm is facing youth to alers go to Europe go satellite dishes old roofs uninstalled our genes and traditional robe, one same cupboard in R. But an interesting thing many young mazabi outside studying outside working back coming are they say world's biggest cities saw but peace only in garda is in the year 1982 UNESCO mazab valley world cultural heritage declared this only an honor is not this a declaration is that this place whole humanity's place is this only Algeria's says, "Not only Mazabi peoples, not this yours, also is mine, also is." UNESCO wrote, "Mazab Valley, a body civilization's extraordinary testimony is where equality's principle completely way implemented was and world over researchers, architects, photographers, and tourists Garda come and backgo changed.

[00:16:49]If you garda want to come then first step alers then from there numeroat mufti zakaria airport for flight take or bus by 600 km journey [music] must do here's best season November from March till when heat bearable be when night cool and beautiful be here staying for traditional guest houses in which original mazabi hospitality found is famous mazabi food in rice and meat.

[00:17:22]Gardia's dates desert cold tea. A necessary thing when you hear come respect bring come. These people hospitable are but their traditions with love do. And they you that will give which any hotel [music] cannot give. Peace original peace.

[00:17:44]I from you a question want to ask that world's most powerful economies democratic experience and modern technology having after also loneliness more why is because community spirit weak is nature with connection less is but gardia a thousand years old city in desert without electricity started without road but Their community is their faith is their nature with harmony is perhaps modern world this ancient desert city from something to learn is perhaps Gardiah us this telling come is progress that not is which you made progress that is which you [music] saved when I gardia about reading started then I thought this only an old place is but as I its history in went as as I those people's story heard who desert home made I felt this only a city story not this that thing story is that when humans intent strong be when his purpose clear be when his community united be then he in desert and also such a city can make which thousand years after also standing be which UNESCO to force that it world heritage declared be which Laker busier to force that he his theory change which me and you today also amaze when morning happens in Gardia and sun hills behind from rises and its rays white houses golden [music] dew and minourets tip from a sound whole desert end spreads then feels as if time stopped be as if this scene a thousand years ago also such only would be when first Mazabi Muslims in desert step kept and said here this hard land on we Allah for a city will make and they made and that city today also is if this video you liked then your Friends to share do and our channel to subscribe do because now many stories left are many cities, many people, many secrets which world from hidden are and we together them will open.