Chinguetti is the ancient Saharan town in Mauritania known for Islamic manuscripts.
Founded in the 13th century, Chinguetti developed as a trading and religious center on routes crossing the western Sahara. Its libraries preserved handwritten works on Islamic law, theology, grammar, astronomy, and other subjects. The town’s manuscript tradition reflects the movement of scholars and merchants between North and West Africa.
Chinguetti is part of the UNESCO-listed Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata. A ksar is a fortified settlement, and Chinguetti’s surviving architecture includes narrow lanes, stone buildings, and an old mosque with a distinctive square minaret.
Chinguetti is sometimes called Mauritania’s seventh holy city because of its historical religious importance. It should not be confused with Timbuktu, another famous West African center of Islamic scholarship located in Mali.