GC37D18 Bab al-Azizia (Traditional Cache) in Libya created by psycho

This cache has been archived.

Knagur Green: Due to no response from the CO after the request to maintain or replace the cache, I am archiving it to, stop it showing on the listings and/or to create place for the geocaching community.

The Geocache Maintenance guideline explains a CO's responsibility towards checking and maintaining the cache when problems are reported. Caches that have been archived for lack of maintenance will not be unarchived. This is explained in the Help Center

If the CO feels that this cache has been archived in error please feel free to contact me via email quoting the GC number concerned

Thank you for understanding

Knagur Green
Groundspeak Volunteer Reviewer

GC37D18 ▼

A cache by psycho_mantis Message this owner

Hidden : 11/8/2011

Difficulty:

Terrain:

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:

Welcome to the first cache hidden in Libya after Liberation and guess what, in Gaddafi's former stronge hold of Bab Alazizia compound. Good chance to see the area of which the former dictator was using to role the country.

Bab al-Azizia is well known as Gadaffi's stronge hold in Tripoli and was feared, at least before Feb 17 2011 by all Libyan citizens to a degree that no one dared to eye ball its external concrete walls. The original compound was built by King Idris, the previous ruler of Libya. Gaddafi reinforced and expanded the compound in the 1980s with the help of foreign contractors. It was surrounded by three concrete walls each with slits for weapons. The walls were estimated to be four-meters high with complicated gate structures. Inside, there were fields with trees, access to water, Gaddafi’s private residence, and a number of military barracks used by troops led by Gaddafi's sons. The interior walls were lower and surrounded a more secure area with guards and metal detectors.

The buildings were connected by extensive networks of underground tunnels that lead to adjoining districts and possibly stretched to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, which is 2 miles away, and elsewhere in the city of Tripoli. Gaddafi lived in a Bedouin-style air conditioned tent on the grounds, which he occasionally pitched in cities he visited.

Within the barracks there were facilities for banquets and other public events like pro-Gaddafi rallies (where people were bought with money to gather around and appear infront of the cameras to show thier fake support to the whole world).

There is no risk whatsoever accessing the area as it has become a place that thousands of people attend everyday and no premission is required. It was decided to increase the difficulty level to 2 as the density of foot trafficing is significantly high.

The cache is simply hidden close to the area where Gaddafi made his first speech on 22nd of Feb 2011 (Zanga ,,, Zanga). The walls have been demolished and the best way to access the compound is the NW gate (abandoned tanks are in the front of this gate) follow the coordinates and look for a palm tree with stairs made of bricks (he used them to go up the stair to collect the dates).

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Vafvqr gur oevpx va gur cevzrgre bs gur cnyz gerr.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)