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Welcome to the Library

Later that day, we made it to Chinguetti, a medieval trading centre founded in 777 AD [1], sometimes referred to as the seventh-most holy city of Islam (but this isn't something all Muslims recognise). Chinguetti was famous for its libraries, some of which contained works on science, astronomy, maths, etc. This oasis town has always been struggling against the Sahara, and it has already had to relocate (slightly) twice, being swallowed up by the relentless sands.

There are still some libraries you can visit, but their number has been decreasing for centuries. This is the Al Ahmed Mahmoud Foundation Library. Its guardian is awaiting those who seek knowledge.

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Uploaded on August 12, 2014
Taken on May 27, 2014