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'Star Wars' Fans Rally To Save Iconic Set In Tunisia

by Melanie Renzulli (RSS feed) on Jun 14th 2012 at 2:00PM

Every single "Star Wars" movie, save "The Empire Strikes Back," uses the desert landscape and dusty villages of Tunisia as backdrops for the planet of Tatooine, the place where Luke Skywalker grew up. Specifically, Luke lived until the age of 19 at the Lars Homestead, the fictional name for a very real building that was, until recently, in danger of collapse.

To the rescue was neither Luke Skywalker nor George Lucas, but Mark Dermul, an avid "Star Wars" fan from Belgium who has been leading "Star Wars" tours of Tunisia since 2001. On a trip to Tunisia in 2010, Dermul discovered that the rounded hut that served as the exterior of the Lars Homestead in the film was in a state of disrepair. Dermul then set up the Save the Lars Homestead Project, working with the Tunisian Tourist Office and Tunisian government to secure the proper permissions to restore this movie landmark.

Save Lars raised $10,000 in 10 months and almost didn't get realized because of the Arab Spring. At the end of May 2012, however, Dermul and his band of "pioneers" traveled to Tunisia, where they patched and re-plastered the Lars Homestead over the course of several days.

The Lars Homestead in a state of disrepair.

The Lars Homestead after restoration.

In the film, the Lars Homestead is located on the Great Chott Salt Flat, which is in reality Chott el Jerid, a salt flat in southwestern Tunisia. If you want to attempt a visit to the Lars Homestead, the "Star Wars" Wiki, or Wookieepedia, provides directions:

The location is a bit hard to find. From Nefta, take the road to Algeria (but do not enter!). Look for the 26 kilometer marker. If the weather permits, you should even be able to see the set from the main road. It's only about 900 meters from the marker. However, be mindful of the trails you follow to get there. The surface may be difficult, especially when it has rained. A four-wheel drive shouldn't have a problem, though. When you drive up to the set, you'll get a rather eerie feeling, as it is only a small set, but so very pivotal in the saga. And there it is, in the middle of nowhere..."

[Photos Wookieepedia/Save Lars]

Filed under: Africa, Tunisia