SW RECCE SITE CHECKED: KALA’A CHENINI

5 August 2022

As part of the ongoing effort to identify all Star Wars franchise scouted sites in Tunisia, Galaxy Tours CEO (Davin Anderson) in close cooperation with Tataouine-based freelance photographer Mohamed Ghdiri documented on 5 August 2022 the approximate vantage point used by David West Reynolds to produce a recce sketch at Kala’a Chenini during the Episode I principal recce to Tunisia in December 1995.

Site: Kala’a Chenini
GPS: 32.912024, 10.263603
Location: Chenini, Tataouine Governorate (southeast Tunisia)
Description: Amazigh mountain citadel (late 12th century CE)
Star Wars scouted set concept: Mos Espa spaceport (various elements)

Reynolds first posted his “Prequel Location Scouting” Chenini sketch on 24 April 2022 via Instagram (account: archaeology.of.star.wars). The sketch depicts the front and northeast side of Al-Farajeen Mosque folded into a picturesque display of background hilltop ruins.

Replicating the exact recce sketch positioning is no longer possible due to the post-1995 construction of a large elevated platform upon which rests a café, cell tower, water storage tank, and outdoor sitting areas.