The Casbah of Algiers

The Casbah of Algiers
Against the massif of Bouzaréah, north of Algiers, the Casbah takes its name from the citadel qu'édifia in 1516 the Turkish corsair Khair al-Din. By winding streets cut stairs, its architecture both Turkish and Arabic, military and civilian, the Algiers Casbah is a unique type of Medina (Muslim city). It is, as such, inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO since 1992. A mecca of the Algerian economy in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, resistant shelter during the war in Algeria and haunt groups of activists armed Islamists in 1990, the Casbah contains within its walls all the contemporary history of Algiers. Unfortunately, it falls into disrepair and the earthquake that hit the coast of Algiers May 21, 2003 helped to weaken the buildings of this popular area known for its history and its strong sense of community .