Place Du Novembre
Oran's main square, the place du 1 Novembre, is the definitive expression of French rule in Oran. The city's main meeting place called place Napoleon, place d'Armes and place Mar chal Foch at various times in its history , it has a baroque theatre on one side and the town hall on the other. In the middle of the square stands an obelisk topped with a Winged Victory, erected by French sculptor Dalou in 1898. The original work commemorated the French soldiers who died at the battle of Sidi-Brahim...
Monument To The Dead
Just beyond the Sidi M'Cid Bridge, on a hill of the same name, stands the Monument to the Dead. It was built specifically for the people of Constantine, from Alfred Abdilla to Jacob Zitoun who died 'Pro Patria', the country being France, not Algeria. The monument is a copy of the arch of Trajan at Timgad pl28 . The statue of winged Victory that tops the monument is an enlarged replica of the bronze sculpture in the Cirta Museum pi 19 . With its winding streets, sloping alleys, sudden staircases...
Maps 1
Navigating the Sahara requires good maps and an experienced local guide. A satellite-generated Global Positioning System GPS can also come in handy, but it's no substitute for the local knowledge of an experienced guide - a GPS can point you in the right direction but can't tell what lies in your path, and hence the most appropriate route. For an overview of the area, the regularly updated Michelin map Africa North and West sheet 953, formerly 153, scale 1 4,000,000 is one of the best and most...
Djemaa Ali Bitchine
In the rough days of Algerian piracy, when a man might be snatched off a ship in the high sea and given a choice of slavery or conversion, there were many so-called renegades, people around the Mediterranean who changed religion. Ali Bitchine was one. A sailor from Venice, his original name may have been Piccinino. Whoever he had been in Italy, in Algiers he was a sailor who rose to become a grand admiral of the fleet. In 1622 he built the Djemma Ali Bitchine rue Soualah . The plan is unusual,...
BENI ISGUEN Jj
The town is built on the slope of the hill, 2.5km southeast of Gharda a. This is the most important religious town in the M'Zab and also has an excellent reputation for science and education. Constructed in the 14th century, it's also known for its ramparts, which are 2.5km long and 3m high. The people here hang on very firmly to their traditional ways, and the amount of outside influence is kept to an absolute minimum. The town's narrow streets are entered from the main Gharda a road. It is...
Q
Ramadan 46, 201 Rasel-Hamra 115 Red Beard, iff Barbarossa religion 44-50 Christianity 49 Islam 44-50 responsible travel 71-2 rock art 80-5, 166, 190-1, 194-5,5 carvings 81-3 conservation 82,84 discovery 80-1 history 80,81 Internet resources 83,84 locations 83-4 paintings 81-3 periods 83 Tassili N'Ajjer National Park 20, 21, 64, 77-8, 83-4, 190-1, 194-5,5 Tinakachaker190 rock-climbing 198 Roman ruins 13,21 Djemlla 133-5 Guelma 116 Hippo Regius 113-15 Tlmgad 126-8,8 Tlpaza 104 Routedu...
Drinking Q
The modem city revolves around the Cours de la R volution, a large open space, covered in trees and lined with grand buildings, leading down to the port. The colonial city has seen much development since independence, and has spread north, west and south of here, while due east of the Cours lies the older Ottoman town. The remains of ancient Hippone and the Basilica of St Augustine lie just over 1.5km southwest of the Cours. CULTURAL CENTRES Centre Culturel Fran ais g 038 864540 www.ctf...
Abdelkaders Last Years
Abdelkader was by far the greatest figure in Algeria's nationalist movement and is a national hero today, with many streets named after him and a major statue commemorating him in central Algiers. But few Algerian nationalists in the past few centuries have enjoyed such an unlikely retirement as did Abdelkader. After he surrendered in 1846, he was imprisoned despite having been promised exile. The reason The French minister of war had once been a French general in Algeria and had bitter...
Sbou De Timimoun
For seven days and seven nights the residents of the Gourara region hold celebrations marking the birth of the prophet Mohammed. The S'bou Festival marks the seventh day of the celebrations. During this time the inhabitants of the Gourara region as well as thousands of worshippers from around the country descend on Timimoun. During the day the streets are deserted but at night they're full to the brim as people come to spend the night in prayer. Its origins lie five centuries ago when Sidi...
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Ya-t-il quelqu'un qui ya-teel kel-kung kee dit en fran ais dee on fronsay
The Mozabites
Mozabites are a close-knit group that practises a form of Islam known as Ibadi Islam see the boxed text, p48 . The Ibadis arrived in the M'Zab Valley in the 11th century after being driven from their homes in the north they chose the harshest and least accessible region they could in order to protect their community. The Ibadis of this region came to be known as the Mozabites. They're a very traditional people who have managed to cling on to their unique lifestyle, clothing, traditions and...
TRAVEL AGENCIES Hjj
Most of these agencies deal with bookings from foreign agencies. However, if contacted in advance they should be able to work something out for independent travellers. Prices range from 50 to 80 a day including food and equipment, depending on how many people there are in your party. You won't usually be permitted to join an already existing group and will almost certainly have to arrange an individually tailored tour. If you haven't arranged a tour in advance your best bet is to contact ONAT...