Editing Chinguetti (section)

{{Infobox settlement
| official_name                   = Chinguetti
| native_name                     = {{native name|ar|شنقيط}}
| other_name                      = City of Libraries
| image_skyline                   = Chinguetti-Vue Goblale Vieille ville.jpg
| imagesize                       = 260px
| image_caption                   = Old town, Chinguetti
| image_flag                      = 
| image_seal                      = 
| image_map                       = 
| map_caption                     = 
| pushpin_map                     = Mauritania
| pushpin_label_position          = bottom
| pushpin_mapsize                 = 300
| pushpin_map_caption             = Location in Mauritania
| subdivision_type                = [[Countries of the world|Country]]
| subdivision_type1               = [[Regions of Mauritania|Region]]
| subdivision_name                = [[Image:Flag of Mauritania.svg|25px]] [[Mauritania]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Adrar Region]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[Departments of Mauritania|Department]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Chinguetti Department|Chinguetti]]
| established_title               = 
| established_date                = 
| government_type                 = 
| leader_title                    = 
| leader_name                     = 
| area_magnitude                  = 
| area_total_sq_mi                = 
| area_total_km2                  = 529.0 
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 
| area_land_km2                   = 
| area_urban_sq_mi                = 
| area_urban_km2                  = 
| area_metro_km2                  = 
| area_metro_sq_mi                = 
| population_as_of                = 2013 census
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_total                = 4,800
| population_urban                = 3,227
| population_metro                = 
| population_density_sq_mi        = 
| population_density_km2          = 
| timezone                        = 
| utc_offset                      = 
| timezone_DST                    = 
| utc_offset_DST                  = 
| coordinates                     = {{coord|20|27|N|12|21|W|region:MR|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_footnotes             = 
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| postal_code_type                = 
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| area_code                       = 
| footnotes                       = {{designation list | embed=yes
   | designation1 = WHS
   | designation1_offname = [[Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata]]
   | designation1_date = 1996 (20th [[World Heritage Committee|session]])
   | designation1_type = Cultural
   | designation1_criteria = iii, iv, v
   | designation1_number = [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/750 750]
   | designation1_free1name = Region
   | designation1_free1value = [[List of World Heritage Sites in the Arab States|Arab States]]
}}
| website                         = 
| name                            = 
}}

'''Chinguetti''' ({{IPAc-en|ʃ|ɪ|ŋ|ˈ|g|ɛ|t|i}} {{respell|shing|GHET|ee}}; {{langx|ar|شنقيط|translit=Šinqīṭ}}) is a [[ksar]] and a medieval trading center in northern [[Mauritania]], located on the [[Adrar Plateau]] east of [[Atar, Mauritania|Atar]]. Chinguetti had a population of 4,800 as of 2013.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chinguetti (Agricultural Urban Commune, Mauritania) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/mauritania/admin/chinguetti/07301__chinguetti/ |access-date=2024-02-16 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}</ref>

Founded in the 13th century as the center of several [[trans-Saharan trade]] routes, this small city continues to attract a handful of visitors who admire its spare architecture, scenery, and ancient libraries. The city is seriously threatened by the encroaching desert; high sand dunes mark the western boundary and several houses have been abandoned to the sand.

The town is split in two by a [[wadi]]. On one side, there is the old sector, and on the other the new one. The indigenous Saharan architecture of older sectors of the city features houses constructed of reddish dry-stone and mud-brick techniques, with flat roofs timbered from palms. Many of the older houses feature hand-hewn doors cut from massive ancient acacia trees, which have long disappeared from the surrounding area. Many homes include courtyards or patios that crowd along narrow streets leading to the central mosque.