Casbah of Algiers

Coordinates: 36°47′0″N 3°3′37″E / 36.78333°N 3.06028°E / 36.78333; 3.06028
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For generic use of the term "casbah", see kasbah.
Kasbah of Algiers
UNESCO World Heritage Site
LocationAlgiers, Algeria
CriteriaCultural: ii, v
Reference565
Inscription1992 (16th Session)
Area54.7 ha
Coordinates36°47′0″N 3°3′37″E / 36.78333°N 3.06028°E / 36.78333; 3.06028
Casbah of Algiers is located in Algeria
Casbah of Algiers
Location of Casbah of Algiers in Algeria

The Casbah (

World Cultural Heritage Site, as "There are the remains of the citadel, old mosques and Ottoman-style palaces as well as the remains of a traditional urban structure associated with a deep-rooted sense of community."[1]

Etymology

More generally, a kasbah is the walled citadel of many North African cities and towns.[2] The name made its way into English from French in the late 19th century (the Oxford English Dictionary states 1895), and can be spelled "kasbah" or "casbah".[3]

History

Palace of Dey

The Casbah of Algiers is founded on the ruins of old

Djamaâ el Kebir (the oldest of the mosques), built by Almoravid ruler Yusuf ibn Tashfin; and Ali Bitchin Mosque (Raïs, 1623). The Casbah also contained several palaces, including Dar Aziza, Dar Mustapha Pacha, Palace of the Dey, and Dar Hassan Pacha which was built in 1791 to house the Pasha, who lived there for eight years.[4]

In 1839, shortly after the French conquest, the

Berrani Mosque were converted into buildings with non-Islamic purposes, such as military barracks and churches.[5]

The Casbah played a central role during the Algerian War of Independence (1954–1962). During the early years of the war, the Casbah was the epicenter of the insurgency planning of the National Liberation Front (FLN), from which it planned and executed attacks against French citizens and law enforcement agents in Algeria at the time. In order to counter their efforts, the French authorities launched operations in the Casbah during the Battle of Algiers.

Current condition

The ANSS, the conservation agency of the Algerian government, reported that 373 buildings in the Casbah have collapsed. Of the 1816 buildings that remain, 40% are ruined or in a critical state, and 10% are boarded up.[6]

Reuters reported in August 2008 that the Casbah was in a state of neglect and certain areas were at risk of collapse.[7]

Algerian authorities list age, neglect and

squatters in vacant buildings.[8] One reason that the government wants to improve the condition of the Casbah is that it is a potential hideout for criminals and terrorists. In the late 1950s and during the civil insurrection and struggle against French colonial rule it was the hideout for the National Liberation Army (Algeria)
.

Preservationist Belkacem Babaci described the situation as difficult, but not insurmountable, saying: “I still believe it’s possible to save it, but you need to empty it and you need to find qualified people who will respect the style, the materials. It’s a huge challenge.”[9] Restoration projects have been plagued by delays and endemic corruption.[6]

  • Casbah of Algiers
    Casbah of Algiers
  • Casbah Palace (Hammam)
    Casbah Palace (Hammam)
  • Streetscape
    Streetscape
  • A Casbah house interior architecture
    A Casbah house interior architecture
  • Fishing port down of the Casbah
    Fishing port down of the Casbah
  • A fountain in the Casbah
    A fountain in the Casbah
  • Interior of a palace of the Casbah
    Interior of a palace of the Casbah
  • Ceiling from a building in the Casbah
    Ceiling from a building in the Casbah

Climate change

Main article: Sea level rise

Since the Casbah of Algiers is a coastal landmark, it is vulnerable to

sea walls.[14]

In popular culture

Notable people

See also

References

  1. ^ UNESCO, Decision Text Archived 2022-09-01 at the Wayback Machine, World Heritage Centre, retrieved 21 July 2017
  2. ^ Arabic Name Translator Archived 2014-08-14 at the Wayback Machine. "The Casbah (Arabic: قصبة, qaṣba, meaning citadel (fortress)) is specifically the citadel of Algiers in Algeria and the traditional quarter clustered around it. More generally, a kasbah is the walled citadel of many North African cities and towns."
  3. ^ Tanya Reinhart Israel/Palestine: How to End the War of 1948 2011- Page 151 "The Jenin refugee camp and the Casbah in Nablus were considered by the Israeli army to be the toughest areas to conquer. Preparations to seize these areas began long in advance. In January 2002, Amir Oren reported in Ha'aretz that the ..."
  4. ^ a b "Interior of Governors Palace, Algiers, Algeria". World Digital Library. 1899. Archived from the original on 2018-01-09. Retrieved 2013-09-25.
  5. ^ دويرات القصبة تحتضّر ومساجدها العتيقة مهدّدة بالاندثار.. فهل من مغيث؟ Archived 2020-03-30 at the Wayback Machine. El Mihwar. Retrieved January 9, 2018.
  6. ^ a b Layli Foroudi, The Algerians battling to save the Casbah from crumbling Archived 2021-03-06 at the Wayback Machine, Apollo (March 19, 2020).
  7. ^ William Maclean (2008-09-01). "REUTERS, William Maclean, Aug 31, 2008". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2021-06-24. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  8. ^ "Algeria Channel". Algeria.com. Archived from the original on 2021-06-29. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  9. ^ "Wall Street Journal Blogs, The Informed Reader, July 5, 2007, 9:39 AM ET". Blogs.wsj.com. 2007-07-05. Archived from the original on 2012-03-30. Retrieved 2010-06-19.
  10. ^ Trisos, C.H., I.O. Adelekan, E. Totin, A. Ayanlade, J. Efitre, A. Gemeda, K. Kalaba, C. Lennard, C. Masao, Y. Mgaya, G. Ngaruiya, D. Olago, N.P. Simpson, and S. Zakieldeen 2022: Chapter 9: Africa Archived 2022-12-06 at the Wayback Machine. In Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability Archived 2022-02-28 at the Wayback Machine [H.-O. Pörtner, D.C. Roberts, M. Tignor, E.S. Poloczanska, K. Mintenbeck, A. Alegría, M. Craig, S. Langsdorf, S. Löschke,V. Möller, A. Okem, B. Rama (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 2043–2121
  11. PMID 31996825
    .
  12. PMC 7668049
    .
  13. ^ Technical Summary. In: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (PDF). IPCC. August 2021. p. TS14. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 August 2021. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  14. ^ IPCC, 2021: Summary for Policymakers Archived 2021-08-11 at the Wayback Machine. In: Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Archived 2023-05-26 at the Wayback Machine [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 3−32, doi:10.1017/9781009157896.001.
  15. ^ TCM Film Guide (2006). The 50 Most Unforgettable Actors of the Studio Era: Leading Men. San Francisco, California: Chronicle Books. p. 29.
  16. ISBN 0-19-505541-1
    .
  17. ^ TCM Film Guide (2006). The 50 Most Unforgettable Actors of the Studio Era: Leading Men. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books. p. 31.

External links

Look up casbah of algiers in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Casbah of Algiers.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Casbah_of_Algiers&oldid=1224959323"