For a long time, Ouarzazate was a small crossing point for African traders on their way to northern Morocco and Europe. In the 16th century, Sheikh Abu al-'Abaas Ahmed bin Abdellah al-Wizkiti al-Warzazi,
emir of the
qasba of Ouarzazate and father of
Lalla Masuda, helped establish
Saadi control over the
Sous-
Dra'a region. Ouarzazate was home to a thriving Jewish community. In 1954, about 170 Jews lived in the Mellah. The "Old Synagogue", a synagogue said to be nearly 300 years old, is located in Ouarzazate. There is also a Jewish cemetery, which is no longer in use. During the French period, Ouarzazate expanded considerably as a garrison town, administrative centre and customs post and a church (Eglise Saint Therese) was built in 1931. It is home to the
Kasbah Taourirt, which was the
kasbah of the former
caïd and later owned by
T'hami El Glaoui. The
Krupp field gun which secured Glaoui power is displayed outside the kasbah today. The city was part of the route of the
2006 and
2007 Dakar Rally. The nearby
Ouarzazate solar power station, co-funded by the Arab League, was connected to the Moroccan power grid in February 2016. On 1 November 2023, Ouarzazate along with
Casablanca joined UNESCO’s
Creative Cities Network. == Geography ==