Chenini
Chenini (Arabic: شنيني) is a ruined Berber village in the Tataouine district in southern Tunisia. Located on a hilltop near a modern village of the same name, Chenini was a fortified granary, or ksar (plural ksour.) Like other ksour created by North African Berber communities, Chenini was built on a hilltop - in this instance, between two hilltop ridges - to help protect it from raiding parties. The oldest structures on the hillside date back to the 12th century; some of the buildings are still used to store grain for the villagers living in the valley below. Chenini is a regular stop on southern Tunisia's ksar trail, along with the villages of Douiret, Ksar Ouled Soltane and Ksar Hadada.
Chenini | |
|---|---|
 Ruined Berber village of Chenini, with its prominent mosque. Photographed by Andy Carvin | |
  Chenini Location in Tunisia | |
| Coordinates: 32°54′37″N 10°15′44″E | |
| Country |  Tunisia |
| Governorate | Tataouine Governorate |
| Time zone | UTC1 (CET) |
Chenini and the surrounding Tataouine district are also associated with the Star Wars film series. Many scenes for the movies were filmed in the area; one of the moons of the home planet of Luke Skywalker was named Chenini.
References
- Lonely Planet Tunisia, 2nd edition.