Tuesday, 07 February 2012
You are here: Home Amazing & Intresting The Underground Village of Matmata
The Underground Village of Matmata PDF Print E-mail
Tuesday, 15 December 2009 00:00

As society advances people seem more and more drawn to the sky and build their homes higher and higher, but you’ll be surprised to know somewhere in Africa some people choose to live underground.

The Underground Village of Matmata
Matmata village

In Tunisia, 450 km south of the capital of Tunis, lies the small but impressive village of Matmata, the largest community of troglodytes (people who live in caves) in the world. The name Matmata comes from the Berber tribe that lives in this area of the country.

The history of how and why this place was first built is unknown but instead there are many stories regarding its beginnings. The most popular one says Matmata was born a long time ago, shortly after the Punic Wars, when the Romans sent two Egyptian tribes to the region and gave them permission to slaughter the locals and make the land their own. The original inhabitants left their homes and fled to the desert where they built new ones into the ground. They would leave their well disguised homes at night and attack the invaders until they managed to drive them away.

The Underground Village of Matmata
Matmata house

Other stories say this ancient settlement was born 700 hundred years ago when the people just couldn’t handle the burning sun. The whole village turned into an underground labyrinth where the homes were linked through intricate tunnels. The temperature inside one of these troglodyte homes remains constantly between 20-22 degrees Celcius during both summer and winter.

The Underground Village of Matmata
Matmata settlement

One of the most amazing things about Matmata is that although it has been around for at least 1000 years, no one even knew it existed until 1967 when heavy rain flooded the troglodytes’ homes and they were forced to send a delegation to ask the authorities for help. Many underground houses collapsed but with the help of the state, new surface residences were built. Now there are only around 100 dug-homes but they are enough to draw in hundreds of tourists from all around the world, every day.

The Underground Village of Matmata
View of Matmata

Now you might say to your self: “this place looks familiar”, and if you are a Star Wars fan, you would be right. This is the place where George Lucas shot the scenes set on planet Tatooine where Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru used to live. In fact if you’re interested in experiencing the troglodyte way of life you can rent a room at the Sidi Driss hotel, it’s surprisingly comfortable and it has served as a set in the science-fiction blockbuster.

The Underground Village of Matmata
Matmata home

If you’re interested in troglodyte settlements you might want to read about the underground city of Cobber Peddy, in the Australian outback.


Bookmark and Share
QUOTE THIS PAGE ON YOUR BLOG/SITE

CREATELINKTOWARDSTHISARTICLE



PREVIEWQUOTE

The Underground Village of Matmata
As society advances people seem more and more drawn to the sky and build their homes higher and higher, but...

 

More Articles...

All People Was Billionaires In

News image

In September 1993, the exchange rate had fallen to 1,700,000,000 Dinara to 1 USD, and the highest denomination was the 10,000,000,000 Dinara note which was worth only 6 USD at that time. In October ...

READMORE

Hang In There

News image

Collection of Crazzy Pictures....How can some one Dare to do like this...?...

READMORE

Largest Fountain

News image

Dubai’s prominent developer, Emaar Properties said on Monday it plans to build one of the largest fountains in the world as the centrepiece of.......

READMORE

World’s Fastest Time To Shear

News image

The fastest time to shear a single sheep is 45.41 seconds by Dwayne Black (Australia) on the set of Guinness World Records at Seven Network Studios, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia on 17 April 2005.......

READMORE

Conjoined Twins

News image

Some obstetricians and gynaecologists at the National Hospital in Abuja have delivered a 25-year old woman of conjoined twins.......

READMORE

Top 14 Wealthiest Black Americ

News image

Collection of the Top 14 Wealthiest Black Americans......

READMORE
-
+
6