El Penon - The Spanish period

In 1510, after Bejaïa was conquered by the Spaniards, Algiers became dependent on catholic Spain. To escape destruction, the city authorities abandoned one of the islands facing the city to Spain (El Peñon de Argel). It is D. Diego de Vera, commander of the Mediterranean sea fleet which was in charge of occupying an building a fortress on the small island of the Beni-Mezrena Medina.

It is thus with the "assent" of Algiers inhabitants that supplied the necessary materials and worked even with the Spanish soldiers that this castle was built. Forced, in 1511, El-Djazaïr signed a treaty recognizing the autonomy of the Penon. The loss of the authority of the city on the Penon was then felt in a rough way.

After Ferdinand the Catholic died in 1516, the king of Algiers tried to escape a treaty engaging him to pay an annual tax to Spain ; Selim Etteumi appealed to the Ottoman-Greek pirate Arudj (Arroudj) Barbarossa to dislodge them. After numerous attempts of reconquest, Arroudj gave up the power. His brother Khayr al-Din took over him and thirteen years later in 1529 he destroyed the Penon after a strong attack.

The Peñon fortress was completely destroyed with the the exception of two towers. A part of the Spanish occupants was killed and the other took as slaves.
Christians were then enlisted to take charge with filling the channel separating the island from the continent. A Mole of 200 meters long, 25 meters wide and 4 meters high was built. The mole marked then the beginning of the naval base of the Regency.

In 1541, under the government of Hassan Pacha a tower, which shelters the current lighthouse, was built on the ruins of El Penon. The mole will then experience numerous modifications during the Ottoman and French occupation to become what is called today the Admiralty. Its shelters nowadays barracks of the navy.

The cave of Miguel de Cervantes

One of the historical spots that the Medina offers since the 16th century is the cave of the prestigious Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616), author of the immortal novel "Don Quixote de la Mancha", edited in 1605.
This cave is always accessible situated in the district of Belouizdad (Algiers) where it is nestled in a hollow of the cliff overlooking the beach in the Bay of Algiers.

The restoration of this natural and historical spot were recently achieved with the sponsorship of the Spanish company Repsol. This place that inspired the writer in his writings is made up of 4 distinct parts: the cave, preserved in a state close to its origin, the shelter, the balcony with a splendid view over the bay of Algiers and the esplanade. This place was built in the past to ease the cave access. In the middle is erected, thanks to the Spanish community Algiers, a stele since 1887 in memory of the captive of Algiers.


(Picture : Fellous Amina)

Miguel de Cervantes spent five years in Algiers after being captured by the flotilla commanded by the Ottoman Mamí Arnaut (meaning Mami the Albanian) on Sept. 26, 1575 while he was returning to the Spain on the galley Sol after his stay in Naples. Cervantes is assigned with his brother Rodrigo as a slave to the Greek Dali Mamí. Finding in his possession letters of recommendations written by the Don Juan of Austria and the Duke of Sessa led his jailers to think that Cervantes was very important and that they could get a good ransom. The price for his release was set at Five hundred gold Ecu. During a second attempt to escape, Cervantes and his companions had to hide in the cave waiting for a Spanish galley that would come on the beach in Algiers. The galley who tried to approach twice the beach was taken by the guards of the king of Algiers Hassan Pasha. Discovered Cervantes was then put under surveillance. 


Back in his country after his liberty was bought by the Trinitarian Juan Gil in 1580, Cervantes put then all his efforts in writing until his death in 1616.

El-Jenina or Dar Es´soltan el kedima

This berbre Fort which was the residence of the King of the Thaaliba tribe and King of the Mitidja Selim ETTEUMI (Toumi), owes its name to a small garden placed in its northern side. This palace was built near the center of the Medina.

When the Turks took the power in Algiers in the beginning of the XVI century, Baba Arroudj who became king of the city settled down in this Palace. Place of governance of El-djazair, its first restorations were made between 1552 and 1556 under Salah Raïs Ben Djaafar era.

This State residence was Ali Khodja´s Government hall until 1817; main acts of regency took place there ex. judgements of political crimes ; The Jenina held Diwan meetigs as well as those of algier´s consuls ; Yeni Ceri ( Janissairs) perceived their salary there.

On November, 1st, 1817 Ali Khodja transfered the power place to the Citadel of the Casbah. This foritfied building was placed at the top of the triangle which formed then the city to El-djazair. El-Jenina will then be called by the population Dar El soltane el kadima (Former house of the Sultan) In 1830, the French occupied it and installed the clock of the city there. The Jenina served then as accommodation center for the army.

In 1844, a devastating fire destoyed a part of the building. Regrettably twelve years later, in 1856, the colonial authorities destoyed the anciant palace to replace it by recent buildings. A street of the low Kasbah will be called after this lost palace.

The streets of Algiers before 1830

Map of Algiers´ medina before 1830

The Berber medina mistakenly called Casbah, has been fortified by the Barbarossa brothers to resist English, Spanish and French attempts to invade Algiers. The fortification works which ended in 1542 encircled the ancient city over 70 acres, with a wall of 11 to 13 meters in height. Made of mud bricks, this wall was collected with lime mortar comprising oily soil red and sand career. The wall lied on a bedrock of tuff. A vestige of this monumental achievement can be still admired in front of the entrance of the Serkadji prison .

The fortified Medina, which is built on a hill, then presented 7 Gates (Bab) : Bab-el-Oued (Creek Gate), Bab-triq-essour (Gate of the path of fortification), Bab-azzoun (Gate of Azzoun), Bab-dzira (Gate of the island), Bab l´bhar (Gate of the Sea), Bab-jdid (New Gate) and Bab al-casbah (Gate of the Kasbah): Sole remainaings of these legendary names are the Gate of the Casbah and abstract benchmarks.

The gate of Azzoun in 1832

Many narrow streets along the medina. Many of these streets are former Roman paths or filled ravines which served as open sewer at the time Berber. Streets names are mainly given after the occupation of adjoining shops: zenqat sebbaghines (street tinctoria), zenqat bechmagdjia (shoemakers), zenqat ferraghia (fondry), zenqat ressassia (plumbers) or zenqat Mqaissia (bracelets manufacturer) are few examples of these names.
Beside these names, others were refering to adjoining activities or spots descriptions ex : Mcid eddalia (School of the venyard ), Fern el-djmal(Windmill of the Camels), Hammam Maleh (Baths of salted water), Sabat el hout (Vault of the fish ), Ain Hamara (Red fountain), Souk djama echema°in (Market "mosque of the Candlemakers"), Kahouet (Café ), Homa (Area), Kouchet el khondok (Oven of the gutter), Akba´t Chaouech (Chaouech´s Hill), Zaouia (Spiritual brotherhood ),Derb l´ksir (Small door entrance of a district ), Bir el medbah (Well of the slaughterhouse), Dar Serkadji (Serkadji´s house), Triq el-casbah (Casbah´s way) ....




The city has benefited very early by the Roman with a water supply delivering drinking water. This network was latter enriched by Andalous populations who built new aqueduct made of pottery . In the 17 century the Turks will improve the sewage system by digging evacuations 1m under the irrigation system.

The earthquakes of 1364 and 1716 distroyed a good part of the berber city built by the Beni-Mezrena tribe. The South districts of the medina which sheltered before 1830 many Mosques, Souks, Fondouks (hotels) and Palaces have been soon after occupation destroyed by the french army to ease troops transportation. Several architectural modifications will then be brought over the years to give the city its first european stamps.

Algiers at the origin (TOP)

Old Algiers- The Casbah´s five doors 16th century

The city of Algiers was built in 960 by the founder of the Zirid dynasty Bologhine ibn Ziri on the remainings of the antique phenician Ikosim (The island with the gulls)(IV B.C). However, a legend would award twenty (Eikosi) Hercule´s companion the original name of this commercial city.

The name Algiers (Alger) stems from the Catalan "Alguère" which stems itself from the Arabic word Jezaïr (D´zaïr) (جزائر), meaning islands. This name was in fact given in refence to small islands facing the city before being connected to the continent just after 1530 by the Turkish king of Algiers Kheireddin Barbarousse.

The Ottoman Period (TOP)

Algiers Bay view. by Rottiers Witdoeck 1828

Preceeding the famous French Colonisation, the Ottoman presence in Algeria which lasted about 300 years (1525-1830) did surly imprinted its presence in major Algerian cities like Algiers and Bejaia.


Today still Turkish descendants recognized by their family names as well as the wonderful houses of the Casbah (Moorish city) and the Fahs (Suburbs) allow to recall to our memories a recent riche but almost forgotten period.