The Ruins of the Fortified City

Being the largest city as well as the capital of Algeria, Algiers has a population of around 3,500,000 according to the 1998 census and a population of 3,574,000 has been estimated in the year of 2010. It has some of the best tourist attractions, some of the main ones being Monument of Martyrs, El Djedid Mosque, El Kebir Mosque, Ketchaoua Mosque, La Grande Poste, Aquafortland etc.

Not only does it offer its visitors the best place to tour but also with delicious food and the best hotels so that after all the sightseeing and food tasting one can have a good night sleep. It is located on the west of the Mediterranean Sea. Even though the population is quite poor the country is fully modernized and has a very good standard of living in it.

However, the beauty of Algiers is its history and it is this history that makes this city so unique and tempting to visit. House to one of the UNESCO world heritage sites Algiers is the city of mysteries. Situated at the outskirts of Algiers to the southeast of the main city are the beautiful ruins of Algeria’s first capital under the Hammadid dynasty.

Surrounded by mountains the ruined city is picturesque and mystifying. Standing in the city are the majestic ruins of Beni Hammad fort also known as the Al Qal’a of Beni Hammad. This old capital dates back to 1007 when it was first built. The city was demolished in 1152. The city was named UNESCO world heritage site because it represents a genuine picture of the old Muslim fortified cities. The city is elaborate and organized with seven-kilometre long line of walls.

The city is divided into four residential complexes and also includes a mosque. The mosque is one of the largest in Algeria after the mosque in Mansurah and is one of the grandest too. The mosque has a tall minaret almost 20 meters or more and resembles the design of the Grand Mosque of Kairouan.

Inside the city, there is another very interesting building known as Dar Al-Bahr which can be translated to the Lake Palace. The palace takes its name from the pool of water that surrounded it. The pool was rectangular and was 67 meters wide and 47 meters long. The pool had a ramp which was used to launch boats in the water and was one of the central water sources in the old city. The entrance to the pool was from the east side and was a truly monumental entrance.

To the west side of the pool ruins of an elevated terrace and courtyard have been discovered. The terrace was an access route to the gardens on the west side of the Lake. There were gardens outside the palace complex as well. These gardens stretched from east to west and were elaborate and were almost 100 meters deep. The gardens are yet to be explored by archaeologists however various remains of fountains have been discovered which has led many local historians to believe that the gardens did exist.

An excavation in this area by archaeologists has revealed that there were other palaces in this city as well. Various monuments, jewellery, weapons, coins, ceramics, terracotta have been excavated from this city and have been displayed in the local museum. You can visit the museum and discover more about this ancient ruined city.

So what are you waiting for? Get ready to indulge yourself in Muslim history and experience Algiers. If you want to avail cheap flights to Algiers/ Algeria from UK then feel free to contact us. Get a chance to experience an exciting, fulfilling and informative vacation with your loved ones.