Tlemcen

Tlemcen is a city in north western Algeria with an actual population of approximately 200,000 people.  It is located sufficiently inland to avoid the humidity of the coast but near enough to receive cooling sea breezes in summer. 



The City of Tlemcen - View from the Observatory




Until the independence from France in 1962, Tlemcen was a vacation spot and retreat for French settlers in Algeria, who found it to be far more temperate than Oran or Algiers.



Some of the Ornate Architecture in Tlemcen
 

The city boasts a prosperous leather, carpet, and textile industry, and it exports these goods to many parts of Algeria and neighbouring countries.  Centuries of a rich history and culture have made Tlemcen the centre of a unique blend of music, art and architecture.  The Great Mosque at Tlemcen was completed in 1136 and is said to be the most remarkable remaining example of Almoravid architecture.


Shady Street in Tlemcen

Tlemcen was founded by the Romans in the 2nd century as a military outpost. During the Middle Ages, Tlemcen served as a trading city connecting the "coastal" route across the Maghreb with the trans-Saharan caravan routes.  It also housed a European trading centre which connected African and European merchants.  At the peak of its success, in the first half of the fourteenth century, the city became the principal intellectual centre of the central Maghreb.  Tlemcen has more buildings dating from the 12th to the 15th century than any other town in Algeria. 

 

Located in Tlemcen itself, the ruins of the Mansourah are a vestige of an ancient city dating back to the thirteenth century.  Today only partial ruins of this magnificent citadel stand and this place has become one of the main tourist attractions of the city.  Walking through this historic site gives you a real feeling of its glorious past history.  



The Entrance of the Mansourah Citadel



The central tower at the Ruins of the Mansourah Citadel



The Walls of the Mansourah Citadel
 

During the early years of the French occupation, a broad coalition of natives at Tlemcen continued to resist the latest invaders and the great Berber leader Abd el Kader, fought with incredible valour.  His defeat in 1844 temporarily ended the dream of an independent Algeria.



A more recent building, the Abou Bekr Belkaid university has eight faculties and ranks among one of the best in the country.  Long considered as the centre for the Arts and Culture, the university attracts a large number of students from all over the country.   



The Entrance of the Tlemcen University
 

The Plateau Lalla Setti rises over 700 feet to the south of Tlemcen and overlooks the whole city.  The architecture, the view of the city below and the many fountains all make this place a must to visit.   





The Tlemcen Observatory tower at the Plateau Lalla Setti

 

Cable Car Arriving at the Observatory





 

 

 



 



 

 









 

 

 



 



 













 



 



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Oran

Oran is a major city on the north-western Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.  It is located 432 kilometres from the capital Algiers.   It is a major port and the commercial, industrial, and educational centre of western Algeria.  The city has a population of about a million people and a regional population of approximately double that amount, making it the second largest city in Algeria.



General View of Oran
 

The name Oran comes from the Arabic word "Wahran" meaning two lions.  The legend says that around the 10^th century, there were still lions in the area.  The last two lions were hunted at a mountain near Oran now called "La Montagne des Lions (Lions Mountain"; hence the presence of two lion statues outside the city hall in the Place du 1er Novembre.



The Lions' Mountain in the background



The Lions at the Entrance of the City Council Building



The City Council Building 

During the Roman Empire, the area of Oran was a small settlement, which disappeared after the Arab conquest of the Maghreb.  Oran was founded in 903 by Andalusian merchants as a base for trade with the North African hinterland.  It developed its commercial potential owing to its sea connections with Europe.  It was captured by the Spanish in 1509 and that sovereignty lasted until 1708, when the city was conquered by the Ottomans. Spain recaptured the city in and sold it to the Turks in 1792.  The Ottoman rule lasted until 1830, when it fell to the French.

During French rule, until 1962, Oran was the capital of the département of Oranie.  Before the Algerian War, (1954–1962), Oran had one of the highest proportions of Europeans of any city in North Africa.  Shortly after the end of the war, most of the Europeans living in Oran fled to France.  In less than three months, Oran lost about half its population.


The Famous "Boulevard Front de Mer" facing the Port of Oran
 

Oran was one of the principal objectives in the Allied landings in North Africa and was occupied by U.S. forces on 10 November 1942.  At the time of the Algerian independence in 1962, Oran’s naval functions had gradually lapsed in favour of commercial ones.



The Commercial Port of Oran
 

The city is the setting for the French writer Albert Camus’ Novel’s novel “La Peste” (The Plague) written in 1947.  Yves Saint Laurent was born there in 01 August 1936.

Oran's Opera House was built in 1908 and restored in 2008.  It was modelled on the one in Paris and during the French occupation, it hosted some of the biggest French and foreign entertainment acts.  Now as then, the opera has retained its function as the entertainment centre of the city and the region.  Located on the Place du 1er novembre; formerly the Place d'armes, the opera has retained all its majesty.  I was able to visit that place in 2014 and marvelled at its architecture and grandeur.  

The Opera House in Oran



Inside the Opera 

Another imposing building in Oran is the former cathedral; now the city's library.  A number of churches in Algeria were reconverted to mosques after the 1962 independence but the Oran cathedral became a library instead because it was not facing in the direction of Mecca.  



The Cathedral - Now a Library

This is the high school where I studied for 5 years before leaving Algeria.  Going back there brought back a lot of memories of my youth and all the friends I had made during those years.  I have kept in touch with some but lost touch with most of them.



The High School I Attended