Algeria known as the “Balcony of the Mediterranean” is at the crossroads of three worlds Mediterranean, Arab & African.
This year the Mediterranean Games are hosted by Algeria; to celebrate we’re exploring its beautiful Islamic architecture & rich heritage #Oran2022
A thread…
1/ Dar Mustapha Pacha, Algeria
A Moorish palace, located in the Casbah of Algiers. It houses the National Museum of Miniatures, Illumination and Calligraphy.
It was built by the future Dey Mustapha Pacha between 1798 and 1799.
2/ Sidi Ahcen, Sétif, Algeria
Built by Sidi Ahcen in 1203, beautiful details of the architecture.
3/ Emir Abdelkader Mosque, Constantine, Algeria
Opened in 1994 it is the second largest mosque in Algeria after Djamaa Al Djazair and can accommodate up to 15,000 worshippers.
4/ Oran, Algeria
Known as the birthplace of rai folk music. The whitewashed Chapelle Santa Cruz, built after a cholera epidemic. In La Blanca, the Turkish old town, is the 18th-century Pacha Mosque with an octagonal minaret. Nearby, Kasr El Bey is an Ottoman palace.
5/ Constantine (Cirta), Algeria
Constantine in Algeria 🇩🇿 is one of the world’s oldest cities.
It became the capital of the Numidian Kingdom under the name Cirta. Destroyed by Maxence in 311CE, it was rebuilt shortly afterwards by Emperor Constantine who named it after himself.
6/ Ghardaïa, Algeria
Part of a pentapolis, a hilltop city amongst four others, built almost 1000 years ago in the M'Zab valley. It was founded by the Mozabites, an Ibadi sect of the Amazigh Muslims. It is a major centre of date production and the manufacture of rugs and cloths.
7/ Tlemcen, Algeria
Former seat of the Ziyanid caliphate, the Mechouar Palace is located inside a large citadel in central Tlemcen. Built in the 12th century, it has recently been restored to its original splendor. It has a similar design to the palace of Al Hambra in Granada.
8/ Casbah of Algiers, Algeria
Algiers palace located in the Casbah of Algiers in Algeria. Currently, it houses the national museum of illumination, miniature and calligraphy of Algiers. The palace was built by Mustapha Pasha between 1798 and 1799.
9/ El Hamma Garden, Algiers, Algeria
The Test Garden of Hamma is a 32-hectare botanical garden located in the Mohamed Belouizdad district of Algiers. Established in 1832 it is a natural museum & includes more than 2,500 species of plants and perennial trees for hundreds of years
10/ Casbah of Algiers, Algeria
A gaze at the back of the room that served as the office of the American consul in Algiers in the early years of French colonization
11/ Zaouïa Tijania, Touggourt, Algeria
Built in 1805 the beautiful colourful interior of Mosquée de la Zaouia Tijania.
12/ Oran, Algeria
A major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. Considered the 2nd most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers. A French département in Algeria existing from 1848 until 1974 - see the French colonial influences in the architecture.
13/ Tlemcen, Algeria
Details from El Mansourah (the victorious) Mosque built by the Marinid of Fez in 1307.
14/ Boussâada, Algeria
Also known as the "City of Happiness!" It has never ceased to inspire artists worldwide, especially painters, who have immortalised the city in their unique works. A beautiful aerial shot of the landscape.
15/ Tlemcen, Algeria
The Andalusian studies center. Tlemlcen is a city in northern Algeria known for Moorish buildings, such as the 11th-century Grand Mosque, 12th-century tomb of Sidi Boumediene adjacent to a mosque is an example of Almoravid architecture, with carved stucco.
16/ El Mechouar, Tlemcen, Algeria
Mechouar Palace is the former official residence of the Zayyanid dynasty. The palace is situated in the middle of the city, and used to be part of the greater Mechouar Citadel which no longer exists except for the palace and the outer wall.
17/ Casbah of Algiers, Algeria
The Ketchaoua Mosque. While Algeria was under French colonial rule, this historic mosque was turned into a Christian cathedral. After the end of the Algerian War of Independence in 1962, it was returned to its original purpose, as a mosque.
18/ Annaba, Algeria
A beauty shot from the port city in northeast Algeria. On the Cours de la Révolution, the main street with a broad central promenade, architecture reflects the city’s French colonial past.
19/ Ghardaia, Algeria
A birdseye view - a colourful expression of the beauty of the city
20/ Bardo Palace, Algiers, Algeria
Bardo palace is a living example of what a Fahs residency looks like. Built during the 18th century. It is now a museum that houses two large collections within its walls. Beautiful interior details
21/ Zemmoura, Bordj Bou Arreridj, Algeria
Bordj Zemoura is a town and commune in Bordj Bou Arréridj Province, Algeria. You can see Mesjid ben Hidous at the top of this picturesque town.
22/ Architecture in Algiers, Algeria
Algeria is known for its decorated doors. Beautiful architectural details in the capital city of Algiers.
23/ Tamanrasset, Algeria by day
Also known as Tamanghasset or Tamenghest, is an oasis city and capital of Tamanrasset Province in southern Algeria, in the Ahaggar Mountains. It is the chief city of the Algerian Tuareg.
24/ Tamanrasset, Algeria by night
Also known as Tamanghasset or Tamenghest, is an oasis city and capital of Tamanrasset Province in southern Algeria, in the Ahaggar Mountains. It is the chief city of the Algerian Tuareg.
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Shah-i-Zinda is one Samarkand’s most beloved sites, which contains some of the richest tile work in the world. The magnificent architecture draws inspiration from multiple periods & styles, taking you back through time & across cultures
A thread on the beauty of Shah-i-Zinda…
1/ The Shah-i-Zinda ensemble includes mausoleums, mosques & other ritual buildings of 11-15th & 19th centuries. The name Shah-i-Zinda (meaning The living king) is connected with the legend that Qutham ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is buried here
📷 Ash Diler
2/ Shah-i-Zinda is a world-famous example of a continuously constructed historical site. Over 1,000 years ago, it was founded with a single religious monument. Between the 11th & 19th centuries, mosques & mausoleums were continuously added
From Spain to Azerbaijan, to Germany to Bosnia, Europe has some of the finest mosques.
The presence of Islam in Europe is not a new phenomenon, with Muslims residing in the continent as early as the 8th century.
Here are 24 mosques across Europe #JummahMubarak
A thread…
1/ Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque, Mostar, Bosnia
Dates back to 1617 & features numerous multicolored windows, a minaret with a lookout spot & a courtyard with several tombs. Although the original Ottoman mosque was heavily damaged during the attacks of the 1990s it has been restored
2/ The Shah Jahan Mosque, Woking, England
This is the first purpose built mosque that was built in the UK.
It was built in 1889 by Dr Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner, an orientalist of Jewish descent from Hungary. Money was donated by Begum Shah Jahan, the Nawab Begum of Bhopal.
Welcome to Al-Mutanabbi Street the ‘Book Market of Baghdad’, where books remain in the street at night because Iraqis say:
“The reader does not steal and the thief does not read.”
A thread on the rich heritage of the historic book market on Al-Mutanabbi Street…
1/ Al-Mutanabbi Street is the historic center of Baghdad bookselling, that dates back to the time of the Abbasids. Located near the old quarter of Baghdad, Al-Mutanabbi Street was Baghdad’s first book traders’ market.
2/ Al-Mutanabbi Street has been, since time immemorial, the historic heart and soul of the Baghdad literary and intellectual community.
Libraries developed in the Islamic Golden Age due to a commitment to literacy & seeking knowledge. One of the oldest libraries in the world Al-Qarawiyyin library, was founded by a Muslim woman, more than 12 centuries ago!
A thread on the greatest libraries in Islamic history…
1/ Al-Qarawiyyan Library, Fez, Morocco
Founded by a Muslim woman, Fatima El-Fihriya in 859, it is one of the oldest libraries in the world & the oldest library in Africa. It also holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest working library, & is still in use today…
1.1/ The Al-Qarawiyyan Library houses a collection of 4,000 rare books & ancient Arabic manuscripts written by renowned scholars of the region. The manuscripts include a 9th century version of the Quran and a manuscript on Islamic jurisprudence written by philosopher Averroes.
Designed to imitate the heavens, Islamic gardens are lush oases of scent, water and sacred geometry. They are a cool place of rest and a reminder of paradise.
Here are 20 beautiful Islamic gardens from across the world…
A thread….
1/ Gardens @CambCentMosque
A harmonious balance between Islamic structure & relaxed English herbaceous and naturalistic planting. A concern for sustainability, biodiversity & insect-friendly planting has also been a constant theme in the selection of plants.
@CambCentMosque 2/ Jardin Majorelle, Morocco
The garden, started in 1924, contains a psychedelic desert mirage of 300 plant species from five continents.
The colour blue (al-azraq) in Islamic tradition often signifies the impenetrable depths of the universe, and turquoise blue is thought to have mystical qualities.
Here are 24 beautiful Islamic buildings & mosques, designed using the colour blue…
A thread…
1/ Jalil Khayat Mosque, Erbil, Kurdistan, Iraq
The largest mosque in the city, it was begun by Jalil Khayat who died in 2005 & completed in 2007 by his sons in memory of their father. The blue style resembles the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in Cairo & Blue mosque in Istanbul
2/ Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Sohar, Oman
Inaugurated in 2018 & influenced by Persian & central Asian blue Islamic architectural styles with touches of traditional Omani architectural elements that make it unique