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Hilton Alger
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Relax among pine trees overlooking the bay at the scenic Hilton Alger hotel, just 10 minutes...
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Algeria: Search for areas
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Algiers
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Description
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Algiers is the capital and largest city of Algeria, North Africa.
The city consists of two parts; the modern part, built on the level ground by the seashore, and the ancient city of the deys, which climbs the steep hill behind the modern town and is crowned by the casbah or citadel, 400 ft. above the sea. The casbah forms the apex of a triangle of which the quays form the base.
There are many public buildings of interest, including the whole casbah quarter, Martyrs Square (Sahat ech-Chouhada ساحة الشهداء), the government offices (formerly the British consulate), the "Grand", "New", and Ketchaoua Mosques, the Roman Catholic cathedral of Notre Dame d'Afrique, the Bardo Museum (a former Turkish mansion), the old Bibliotheque Nationale d'Alger -- a Turkish palace built in 1799-1800 - and the new National Library, built in a style reminiscent of the British Library.
The main building in the casbah was begun in 1516 on the site of an older building, and served as the palace of the deys until the French conquest. A road has been cut through the centre of the building, the mosque turned into barracks, and the hall of audience allowed to fall into ruin. There still remain a minaret and some marble arches and columns. Traces exist of the vaults in which were stored the treasures of the dey.
The Grand Mosque (Jamaa-el-Kebir الجامع الكبير) is traditionally said to be the oldest mosque in Algiers. The pulpit (minbar منبر) bears an inscription showing that the building existed in 1018. The minaret was built by Abu Tachfin, sultan of Tlemcen, in 1324. The interior of the mosque is square and is divided into aisles by columns joined by Moorish arches.
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The New Mosque (Jamaa el-Jedid) in Algiers - late 1800's
Algiers. Stone synagogue. Photo early 1900's. Boris Feldblyum CollectionThe New Mosque (Jamaa-el-Jedid, dating from the 17th century, is in the form of a Greek cross, surmounted by a large white cupola, with four small cupolas at the corners. The minaret is 90 ft. high. The interior resembles that of the Grand Mosque.
The church of the Holy Trinity (built in 1870) stands at the southern end of the rue d'Isly near the site of the demolished Fort Bab Azoun. The interior is richly decorated with various coloured marbles. Many of these marbles contain memorial inscriptions relating to the English residents (voluntary and involuntary) of Algiers from the time of John Tipton, British consul in 1580.
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