A Day of Sightseeing

Last weekend, an officer who is here on temporary duty (TDY) hired a guide to show her around the city.  I managed to invite myself along.  Our guide spoke nearly perfect English and was very knowlegeable about the history, culture, and stories of Algeria.  Here are some of the places we visited.

Below the hill we are on is a botanical garden where the
Tarzan movies were filmed in the 1930s and 1940s.

The Martyr's Memorial (Makam Echahid) in remembrance of the unknown soldier who
fought for Algerian independence.

The Martyr's Memorial seen from our apartment.

Djemaa El-Djedid

This mosque is known as the New Mosque.  It was built in 1660.  The Turkish architecture is unusual for Algeria.  Also unusual, it was built in the form of a cross.  Local legend has it that the architect was a Christian and was executed for his trickery.

Djemaa El-Kebir




This mosque is the oldest in Algiers.  It was built in the 11th century on a site used for worship by the Phoenicians, the Romans, and the Christian crusaders.

 

We did not go into the mosques.  Here in the inner city, we just drove through enjoying the sites and our guide's stories. 

Main entry to Le Grande Poste

Le Grande Poste

Nearby the mosques is the Grande Poste, the city's main post office built in the Moorish style. This we can also see from our apartment.





The highlight of the day for me was a visit to the Basilica of Notre Dame d'Afrique.  Though built in the byzantine style, this is a western Christian church constructed by Frenchmen during the latter 19th century.  It sits high on a hill and was completely restored from 2007 to 2010.  Photography inside is prohibited.  Too bad because it is really gorgeous.  I took loads of pictures of the exterior and looking down from the hill.

Basilica of Notre Dame d'Afrique.  Photo taken 4/20 from El Djamila

Basilica entrance

A couple photos of the exterior

This is a photo of a postcard.  Too bad I couldn't
take real photos inside.

There was quite a magnificent view from the basilia's courtyard.  I tried to upload my video, but it wouldn't work. 

And though I didn't get any photos, we also saw many of the French colonial buildings, still in use today as offices and ministries. Our guide told us this style is very much the same as other French seaports such as Marseille. I have not been there (yet) but the buildings did look a lot like New Orleans with big French windows and wrought-iron balconies.

We ended our afternoon with a little shopping at La Maison de l'artisanat, a tiny shopping mall of artists' studios. Of course we bought a few things. My companion spent all of her remaining dinars here.