Ouadane is certainly the most impressive of Mauritania's historic cities. The houses of its old town cling desperately to the side of the cliff. Portuguese funding has allowed the restoration of part of it. Access to its walls is now subject to an entrance fee of 100 MRU, and guides await visitors at the entrance.A little history. Many of the scholars of the ancient cities had acquired their knowledge by studying in Ouadane. Unfortunately, the extremely difficult living conditions, mainly caused by the increasingly arid climate, led to the exile of part of the population of Ouadane, mainly to Chinguetti. Ouadane was founded in 1141 on the ruins of 4 cities, themselves created in 742. The city had an intense spiritual influence during its period of prosperity, and was also ideally located on the caravan route that ensured trans-Saharan trade. It is in Ouadane that the first university of the desert was born, where the Abstract of Islamic Law was published. The oldest manuscript found in Mauritania was found in Ouadane and is now in the national library in Nouakchott.The conservation of manuscripts faces many obstacles: heat, dust, sand, light and condensation are formidable enemies. Recently, modern means have been used to try to preserve this heritage on site: the most precious and/or deteriorated manuscripts have been scanned so that researchers can study them without manipulating them.Like all other historical cities in Mauritania, Ouadane experienced a decline as it entered the 20th century, with the scarcity of commercial caravans, but also the dilution of banco (cement), the presence of termites, the wind... The exodus of the population continued until the 1960s, and it is only in the last ten years that a collective awareness has led to a return of the natives of Ouadane. Today Ouadane, whose name means "the city of two wadis" (the wadi of knowledge and the wadi of dates), is proud of its heritage. The development of the city depends on a growing interest in tourism, which should allow it to regain some of its aura, while preserving and restoring its rich cultural and spiritual past.

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Campement semi-nomade d'El Kheouiya, entre Ouadane et Chinguetti. François JANNE DOTHEE
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