6 Must-Visit Attractions in Algiers, Capital City of Algeria
With summer right around the corner, it is time to plan your vacation destinations. If you are living in Algeria and looking to do a little local tourism, get started with the 6 must-visit attractions we’ve listed for you. Normally Algiers may not be on the top of your bucket list, but with the whitewashed citadel, great mosques and the martyrs’ memorial, it should be. If you are visiting from out of the city or the country, you would want to check out Lamaraz Arts Hôtel. It is perfectly located close to the attractions.
1
The Kasbah of Algiers
Source: Gaston Batistini, Flickr
The Kasbah, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is in the capital and most populous city of Algiers, located in the far north of the country. The enchanting whitewashed houses and narrow streets still have an authentic feel despite the area being one of Algeria’s most popular tourist attractions. Usually, thousands of tourists from all over the world would visit the site to take in the splendour of Algerian heritage. The ancient Kasbah is a steep and narrow maze of streets. It is also worth exploring the Ottoman palaces there e.g. Dar Hassan Pacha.
2
Le Jardin d’Essai du Hamma
Source: APS Online
The Botanical Garden of Hamma is a must-see when in Algiers. Created in 1832 from reclaimed marshlands, the aim of the garden was to introduce new plant species to acclimate them. Today, it is a place for plant conservation, environmental public education, and the collection and study of plant specimens.
The gardens are a peaceful haven away from the noise of the bustling city. It is a wonderful place to go if you are looking to just relax and unwind while observing nature.
3
Basilique Notre Dame d’Afrique
Source: Chettouh Nabil
The Cathedral of Notre Dame d’Afrique is a Roman Catholic Church that overlooks the sea below. Completed in 1872 after fourteen years of construction, this magnificent building of Neo-Byzantine architecture is ornately decorated inside the Spanish-Moorish decor. It is probably one of the only churches in the world where the invocation to the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Africa, reads: Notre Dame d’Afrique, priez pour nous et pour les Musulmans (“Our Lady of Africa, pray for us and for Muslims”).
4
Djamaa el Djazaïr
Source: Abdennour Achab
After seven years of construction, the Great Mosque of Algiers (known locally as the Djamaa el Djazaïr) was completed in 2019, breaking new world records in the process. The great mosque is recognised today as the largest mosque in Africa and the third-largest mosque in the world after the Great Mosque of Mecca and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Saudi Arabia. Also, its minaret stands at 265 metres, making it the tallest minaret in the world.
5
Maqam Echahid
Source: Ath Salem, Flickr
The Maqam Echahid, or Martyrs’ Memorial, one of the most recognisable landmarks in the city, is a concrete monument commemorating the Algerian War. The monument was opened in 1982, on the 20th anniversary of Algeria’s independence. It is shaped with three massive concrete palm leaves, which come together and shield the “Eternal Flame” under it. At the edge of each palm frond is a statue of a soldier representing a stage of Algeria’s struggle for independence.
6
Ketchaoua Mosque
Source: Shutterstock
At the foot of the Kasbah, the Ketchaoua Mosque is a mosque built during the Ottoman rule in the 17th century. The mosque stands on the Kasbah’s wide set of stairs, and was logistically and symbolically the centre of the pre-colonial Algiers. The mosque is recognised for its distinctive combination of Moorish and Byzantine architecture.
Originally created in 1612, the mosque was converted to the Cathedral of St Philippe in 1845, which remained so until 1962, when it was turned back into a mosque. Despite these transitions over two religious faiths in roughly the last four centuries, the mosque stands today as one of the major attractions of Algiers.
What Now?
With its Mediterranean Sea and massive expanse of the Saharan interior, Africa’s largest country, Algeria, should be on more people’s lists of holiday destinations. Much of the country’s terrain remains underexplored. So, what better place to start than Algiers? Plan your trip to the capital city of Algeria by booking your hotel using QVI Breaks. Then, you’re all set and ready to go!
