Revisiting the History of Casbah

Africa holds great historical significance in terms of ancient culture since the history of humankind mainly emerged from this continent. Many heritage sites and important locations are found on this continent. One such example of the glorious past of Africa is the Kasbah of Algiers. 

The Casbah of Algiers is located in the northern province of Africa in Algeria. Casbah is an Arabic word with different meanings. In Arabic, Casbah means citadel in North Africa, parallel with the structure, also referred to as a castle. 

About Algiers

Algiers is the capital city of Algeria. It is the largest city in the country in terms of area. The location of this city is Northern-Central to Algeria. It is also located close to the Mediterranean Sea. The size of this capital city is 363 km². Tracing the history of Algiers, it can be found that this city was discovered in 944 CE by the founder of the Berber Zirid dynasty, Bologhine ibn Ziri. It served as a port destination for early empires. The Roman Empire eventually annexed it under Claudius. The city is found to fall into destruction after the Muslim conquest of Maghrib. The town mostly received invasions from the Muslim empires as well. For example, Algiers witnessed an attack from the Hammadids clan in 1014 during the Crusades.

Another example is the raid from the Ziyanid sultans of Tlemcen. It is also known that this city was also part of the Ottoman Empire after the collapse of the Roman Empire. This city was provided sufficient defence measures to protect it from foreign invasions. Walls surrounded the boundaries, and a citadel was constructed as well. The town witnessed destruction through bombardment by the English forces in 1816, and it damaged one of the marine fleets of this city. 

Kasbah of Algiers

The Casbah of Algiers is one of Africa’s most critical architectural pieces. It represents the influence of Muslim rulers in the Northern province of Africa. Moreover, it highlights that the city was under the Ottoman Empire’s rule. The architectural importance of this site was recognised by the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in 1992 as they granted Casbah the status of World Heritage Site. The UNESCO World Heritage Convention recognised this site under criteria second and fourth. The Casbah refers to the citadel of Algiers and the traditional urban structure around the fort. However, this site is not in excellent condition; it still has remains of the original fortress. The total area of the Casbah covers around 54 hectares. The palace follows the Ottoman style of architecture, and the area also consists of old mosques. All these reasons are behind its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This Casbah served as a significant help in the Algerian War of Independence. It served as the base for the Algerian forces to perform sneak attacks on the French army and protected them from the attacks of the French army. The Casbah has many notable structures. For example, a fountain, fishing port, a palace, streetscape, etc. 

History of the Casbah

Historians have found that the Kasbah of Algiers is built on the ruins of an old city known as Icosium. The masonry works on the citadel, its traditional urban structure, and the surrounding works are assumed to have been engraved in the 17th century. It is also believed that the Casbah consisted of 166 religious buildings before the French wars, including thirteen Jama Masjids, one hundred nine mosques, thirty-two mausoleums, and 12 Zawiyas. However, all these buildings fell into ruin after the French wars, and only a few remained. Many such religious structures were converted for religious purposes. At present, only 10% of the total buildings are staying, while 373 buildings of the Casbah have collapsed over time. 

Conclusion

From the facts and information about the Kasbah of Algiers, it can be concluded that the Casbah holds a great historical significance for the Algerian people. It reflects the region’s history and is a significant landmark for historians to deduce various famous and powerful empire expansions. The architecture behind this site is also highly commendable. It holds even more critical importance to the Algerian people as their struggle during the independence war relates to it. They sought refuge in the Casbah, and it helped in carefully attacking the French army and ultimately winning their war of independence.