1 00:00:05,000 --> 00:00:06,920 Welcome to Algeria, 2 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:10,800 lying on the southern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. 3 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:14,040 It's the largest country in the continent, 4 00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,800 a land of rich history, ancient civilisations 5 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:20,280 and spectacular scenery. 6 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:24,520 Ranging from rugged mountains, lakes and forests, 7 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:27,000 fertile valleys ripe with olive groves, 8 00:00:27,160 --> 00:00:30,600 tropical fruits and date palms. 9 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:35,280 And in the south, Algeria boasts the largest desert in the world, 10 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:39,280 the Sahara, home of the nomadic Tuareg. 11 00:00:39,440 --> 00:00:42,200 This is a proud nation with a diverse population, 12 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:44,800 made up of Berber tribes 13 00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:46,920 and their unique customs and traditions. 14 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,880 Born after a war with France in the early 60s, 15 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,680 Algeria's rise, fuelled by oil riches, 16 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:59,280 has been a long and tempestuous one. 17 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:02,720 It's a relatively new country, but that also makes it 18 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:06,000 an undiscovered gem in the world of travel. 19 00:01:06,160 --> 00:01:10,240 In this series we engage with guides and experts 20 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:13,520 as we explore Hidden Algeria. 21 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,160 Algeria is located on the North African coast 22 00:01:22,320 --> 00:01:24,560 along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, 23 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,360 in a region commonly known as the Maghreb. 24 00:01:27,520 --> 00:01:29,360 Bordered by Morocco on the west, 25 00:01:29,520 --> 00:01:31,960 Mauritania and Mali on the south-west, 26 00:01:32,120 --> 00:01:35,680 Niger to the south-east, and Tunisia and Libya to the east. 27 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:39,160 In this episode we explore the undiscovered cities 28 00:01:39,320 --> 00:01:42,320 and ruins of its historic hinterland. 29 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:55,360 The Mediterranean Sea, highway of the Phoenicians 30 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:59,560 and the Romans from 800 BC to the 4th century AD. 31 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:02,760 They used the North African coast 32 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:05,440 as a staging post for their expansive trade. 33 00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,040 Not surprising, then, that Algeria's first cities 34 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:12,680 sprang up as ports, along its gorgeous coastline. 35 00:02:13,800 --> 00:02:17,800 Our Algerian coastal tour starts in Ancient Tipasa, 36 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:20,840 en route to Spanish-influenced Oran. 37 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,200 Leaving Oran, we drive to the agricultural foothills 38 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,320 of the Chelif Valley, to Tlemcen, Algeria's ancient royal capital. 39 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:32,960 We head east into the Aures Mountains, 40 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:36,600 the land of the Kabyle and the settlement of Timgad. 41 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:39,040 We end our journey back on the coast 42 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:43,840 in the Numidian capital of Cirta, modern-day Constantine. 43 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:51,720 The coastal hills surrounding Mount Chenoua are lush, 44 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:54,680 a region ripe with vineyards. 45 00:02:54,840 --> 00:03:00,440 In the mountain's shadow lies Tipasa, an ancient Phoenician harbour 46 00:03:00,600 --> 00:03:05,760 that grew into a Roman colony under Claudius in 43 BC. 47 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:12,120 Among the ruins you can still find the remains of theatres, 48 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,040 villas and Christian basilicas. 49 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:20,080 It was here in the 3rd century that Christianity entered Africa. 50 00:03:20,960 --> 00:03:23,240 The Romans took over 100 years 51 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,040 and three Punic Wars against Carthage 52 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:28,760 to establish their concept of civilisation 53 00:03:28,920 --> 00:03:31,160 along this stretch of the Maghreb. 54 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:34,200 Rome originally was involved 55 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:37,040 in a major power struggle with Carthage, 56 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:41,640 situated in modern Tunisia in the late Roman Republic. 57 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,160 This was a struggle to the death, 58 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:47,840 between the growing Roman Republic and Carthage. 59 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:52,720 There were three major wars, the last one resulted in the defeat 60 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:56,680 and the sacking of Carthage in 146 BC. 61 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:59,400 Afterwards, then there was an impetus 62 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:02,320 for Roman colonisation of North Africa, 63 00:04:02,480 --> 00:04:07,240 and the Romans occupied the old Punic part of North Africa 64 00:04:07,400 --> 00:04:10,800 and gradually started to move westwards 65 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:14,040 into Numidia or eastern Algeria, 66 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,640 and then right across through to Morocco. 67 00:04:16,800 --> 00:04:20,960 That process was a gradual and careful one 68 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:25,040 because there was a pre-existing kingdom in this area, 69 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,280 a Numidian kingdom with significant architecture. 70 00:04:30,840 --> 00:04:35,000 The most impressive example is this striking royal tomb 71 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,120 that erupts from the ground like a giant molehill, 72 00:04:38,280 --> 00:04:40,960 just a few minutes' drive from Tipasa. 73 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,040 The site is a magnet for tourists. 74 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:48,640 This royal mausoleum of Mauritanian kings 75 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:52,720 is the resting place of the Numidian ruler Juba II, 76 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:54,840 and his wife Selene. 77 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,520 Selene was the product of that most passionate love affair 78 00:04:58,680 --> 00:05:00,720 between Cleopatra and Mark Antony. 79 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,240 To the casual observer, the tomb looks like a pyramid, 80 00:05:04,400 --> 00:05:07,560 placed on top of a Greek or Roman colosseum. 81 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:11,760 What you see in Numidian architecture 82 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:13,840 and Numidian funerary architecture 83 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:18,000 is a fusion of ideas from throughout the Mediterranean. 84 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:24,400 We see Greek, Hellenistic, Egyptian, as well as local inspiration. 85 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:29,080 This is not some simple copying of bits and pieces 86 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,560 but an integrated view of architecture and art 87 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,200 that is specifically North African. 88 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:41,280 And so you see in those royal tombs elements of architecture 89 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:43,280 that have been adapted from elsewhere 90 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:48,000 throughout the Mediterranean world, but infused together in a form 91 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:52,840 that is specifically and uniquely Numidian and North African. 92 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:58,440 The Ottomans, who ruled Algeria in the 16th century, 93 00:05:58,600 --> 00:06:01,480 called this royal resting place the tomb of the Christian, 94 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:05,240 as there's a cross panel that adorns its entrance. 95 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:07,680 They ordered its destruction, 96 00:06:07,840 --> 00:06:10,680 but when their workmen were killed by a swarm of bees, 97 00:06:10,840 --> 00:06:13,200 the mausoleum was thought to be cursed. 98 00:06:14,640 --> 00:06:16,880 And so here it still stands, 99 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,480 a playground for families on their weekend outings. 100 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:26,720 Our first stop from Tipasa is Oran. 101 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,880 To get there, it's a four-hour car drive along the A1 highway. 102 00:06:35,640 --> 00:06:40,120 Oran, pronounced 'Wahran', is Algeria's closest point to Europe. 103 00:06:40,280 --> 00:06:42,520 It's always flourished as a busy port 104 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:44,840 and it still services cargo ships and ferries 105 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,560 making regular runs to Casablanca and Marseille. 106 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:57,720 In the 19th century, it was a favourite destination 107 00:06:57,880 --> 00:07:00,960 fleeing poverty in France and settling here. 108 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,440 Over the course of the next 100 years, 109 00:07:03,600 --> 00:07:06,920 the descendants of these migrants became known as Pieds-Noirs. 110 00:07:07,080 --> 00:07:09,520 Although born in Algeria, 111 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:14,000 they felt French and over time became the rulers of Algeria. 112 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:17,760 The French influence in Oran remains to this day. 113 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:23,920 Oran's architecture also reflects its multicultural past. 114 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:29,400 For Oran has an historic Spanish influence too. 115 00:07:29,560 --> 00:07:33,120 A bullring still dominates Oran's old Spanish neighbourhood. 116 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:37,240 Among the first settlers here were Andalusian merchants 117 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,960 who plied their trade as far back as the 9th century. 118 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:48,640 Today, Oran prides itself as a holiday destination, 119 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,280 with tourist hotels fronting sandy beaches. 120 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:54,920 They run along a one-mile coastal stretch of resorts 121 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:57,000 called Les Andalouses. 122 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:00,320 Among the few foreign visitors here 123 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:03,280 are some descendants of Pieds-Noirs. 124 00:08:43,960 --> 00:08:47,760 We found a local guide, Zaki, to show us around 125 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:50,640 and give us a few insider tips on the city. 126 00:09:36,240 --> 00:09:40,360 Oran has a multicultural and cosmopolitan feel 127 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:43,920 and that's because it has always been a colonial city... 128 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:46,400 Spanish and French settlers 129 00:09:46,560 --> 00:09:50,480 especially put their stamp on the streets and buildings. 130 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:52,800 One Frenchman who was born in these streets 131 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,240 grew up to become one of the greatest fashion designers 132 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:57,840 of the 20th century. 133 00:10:24,040 --> 00:10:25,320 It was in this house 134 00:10:25,480 --> 00:10:29,280 that Yves Saint Laurent was born in 1936, 135 00:10:29,440 --> 00:10:32,000 and he grew up in this district of the city. 136 00:10:33,720 --> 00:10:37,320 As a designer, he was heavily influenced by the colours 137 00:10:37,480 --> 00:10:40,720 and vibrancy of North African clothes and their features. 138 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:46,400 Fashion expert Amor Guellil explains. 139 00:11:24,280 --> 00:11:28,320 Zaki chats to one of the locals about the famous fashion designer. 140 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:06,840 His next tram stop is the city centre, 141 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:10,280 and its main square, the old Place d'Armes. 142 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:39,720 Abdelkader is Algeria's first nationalist hero. 143 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:44,360 He held out against the French forces in western Algeria in the 1870s. 144 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:46,400 His resistance paved the way 145 00:12:46,560 --> 00:12:49,400 for the independence movement in the 20th century. 146 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:55,520 The Opera House was built in 1908 147 00:12:55,680 --> 00:12:59,240 and remains a hallmark of the French colonial architecture. 148 00:13:03,280 --> 00:13:05,560 Zaki's feeling a little bit peckish, 149 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,640 so he decides to head into the Medina Jedida Market 150 00:13:08,800 --> 00:13:11,440 in the old part of town to get something to eat. 151 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:59,640 This imposing building is the Sacre Coeur Cathedral, 152 00:14:00,920 --> 00:14:03,600 built in 1913. 153 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,840 But it was the work of the Dominican bishop Pierre Claverie 154 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:13,520 who transformed the layout of this immense church 155 00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:16,120 into something more than a local parish. 156 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,440 He turned it into a massive public library. 157 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:25,040 Bishop Claverie believed that overhauling his own cathedral 158 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:26,720 into an open library 159 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,680 would contribute to the national task 160 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:31,440 of educating a growing, young society 161 00:14:31,600 --> 00:14:35,480 and it would enhance friendships between Muslims and Christians 162 00:14:35,640 --> 00:14:40,320 and heal some of the old wounds left over by the War of Independence. 163 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:50,960 Much of Oran's history has been forged by the 265-year-old war 164 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,320 between two of its occupying powers, 165 00:14:53,480 --> 00:14:57,520 the Ottoman Empire and the Spanish Habsburg Empire. 166 00:14:57,680 --> 00:15:01,600 Both vied for control of this Mediterranean trading outpost. 167 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:05,200 Their legacies are found everywhere in Oran, 168 00:15:05,360 --> 00:15:07,800 like these Turkish baths... 169 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:38,800 The Turkish baths were built by the Bey of Oran, 170 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,080 Bouchelaghem, in 1708 171 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:46,240 and it's served as an annex to the mosque in this quarter. 172 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:53,680 The Ottoman palace on the Rue Meftah Kouider 173 00:15:53,840 --> 00:15:55,480 is definitely worth a visit, 174 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:58,200 despite needing extensive restorations. 175 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:11,200 Built in 1792 by the governor Mohammed el-Kebir, 176 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:13,960 it gives a wondrous glimpse into the fastidious world 177 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:16,440 of the 17th-century Ottoman governor. 178 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:18,320 He was titled the 'Bey' 179 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:21,920 and this is commonly known as the Bey's Palace. 180 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:30,360 The Bey's Palace overlooks the old Spanish quarter. 181 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,000 With its Castilian-style streets 182 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,800 and its pretty and evocative Spanish bars. 183 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:39,360 The first Spanish immigrants were Andalusian merchants, 184 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:41,640 who arrived here in the 10th century. 185 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:45,480 They settled in this barrio. 186 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:52,760 Our guide is Rached Mehadji who is of Spanish heritage. 187 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:50,120 Spanish immigrants who arrived here 188 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:51,840 in the middle of the 19th century 189 00:18:52,000 --> 00:18:55,040 were often unemployed labourers who had lost their jobs 190 00:18:55,200 --> 00:18:58,160 with the mechanisation of the Industrial Revolution. 191 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:03,840 Guy Bonifacio is a descendent of Spanish Pieds-Noirs, 192 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:07,160 whose grandparents settled in Oran in the 1860s. 193 00:19:07,320 --> 00:19:10,480 His family has remained here ever since. 194 00:20:23,920 --> 00:20:26,240 The environment of Oran at least offered 195 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:29,920 a semblance of familiarity to the expat Spaniards... 196 00:20:31,040 --> 00:20:33,240 Maravilllas Puertas moved to Oran 197 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:36,000 because the city reminded her of home. 198 00:21:44,120 --> 00:21:48,840 Algeria's most famous adopted son was the writer Albert Camus. 199 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,480 Born of a Spanish mother and a French father, 200 00:21:51,640 --> 00:21:54,000 Camus grew up in Algiers. 201 00:21:54,160 --> 00:21:57,680 It was here in Oran when he first worked as a school teacher, 202 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,600 that he developed his existential philosophy, 203 00:22:00,760 --> 00:22:03,000 born out of the struggles of the natives, 204 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:04,880 in the face of colonial rule. 205 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:10,200 He wrote one of his famous works, 'The Plague', here in Oran. 206 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:16,840 The Spanish influence in Oran extends to the local cuisine. 207 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:20,240 Let's return to our guide Zaki. 208 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:30,800 This is Spanish peasant food. 209 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:30,560 Fort Santa Cruz on the summit of Mount Murdjadjo. 210 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,880 It's 400 metres above the sea - 211 00:23:34,760 --> 00:23:37,840 an Ottoman fort constructed in 1577 212 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,080 and modified by Spain, 213 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:44,120 which took over Oran nearly 30 years later. 214 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,160 And which they held for another 300 years. 215 00:23:47,320 --> 00:23:49,320 And they grow all around the castle. 216 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:53,200 Zaki meets restoration architect, Radia Bourbia. 217 00:23:53,360 --> 00:23:55,840 There's an old saying about Oran 218 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:59,440 stating that the Spanish exchanged mountains of gold 219 00:23:59,600 --> 00:24:01,000 for mountains of rocks. 220 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:03,240 They were really determined to take over Oran... 221 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:05,880 and they built a whole system of fortifications. 222 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:07,560 For example, this one. 223 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:11,040 It's shaped like a star. 224 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:14,560 It has pointy ends to prevent direct hits by cannons 225 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:18,960 and this castle looks over other castles underneath. 226 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:28,960 Zaki inspects the defences... a portcullis with loopholes above it, 227 00:24:29,120 --> 00:24:33,000 from where hot burning oil would be poured on the invading Ottomans! 228 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:36,000 There are also subterranean tunnels 229 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:39,400 linking the fort to other forts in the city. 230 00:24:41,600 --> 00:24:44,880 Zaki also looks at the rainwater storage system 231 00:24:45,040 --> 00:24:49,000 reaching down to a reservoir, which allowed the soldiers 232 00:24:49,160 --> 00:24:53,080 to survive inside the fort for months during an Ottoman siege. 233 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:57,080 The officers' garrison was high up in the main castle. 234 00:24:57,240 --> 00:25:01,640 Visit it today and enjoy the great views down to the city. 235 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:06,240 It's the perfect place to keep an eye on an approaching enemy. 236 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:44,280 Our next destination is the ancient Algerian capital of Tlemcen. 237 00:25:45,280 --> 00:25:46,840 It's a one-hour drive 238 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:49,560 through the rolling hills of the coastal hinterland 239 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:53,200 to get to this most historic of Algerian cities. 240 00:25:53,360 --> 00:25:56,080 It means "spring" in Berber. 241 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,800 A busy agricultural town of medieval splendour, 242 00:26:01,960 --> 00:26:06,760 capped by a 14th-century Moorish-style mosque and minaret. 243 00:26:08,320 --> 00:26:10,200 This was once a royal city 244 00:26:10,360 --> 00:26:13,240 and even today the locals speak in a different dialect 245 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:15,440 than other Berber tribes in Algeria. 246 00:26:16,720 --> 00:26:21,880 For other Algerians who don't speak this accent, 247 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:24,200 it's very exciting. 248 00:26:24,360 --> 00:26:30,320 It's very symbolic accent. 249 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:33,120 When they hear the Tlemcen speak, 250 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:36,720 it's a symbol of beauty, of civilisation, 251 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:39,880 of the affinity of Tlemcen and the history of Tlemcen. 252 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:46,840 Tlemcen was once the most significant city in Algeria. 253 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:52,080 Tlemcen was the capital of the Maghreb centre, 254 00:26:52,240 --> 00:26:53,880 the Maghreb, I mean Algeria, 255 00:26:54,040 --> 00:26:58,080 because at that time Algeria was called the centre of Maghreb. 256 00:26:58,240 --> 00:27:02,080 Morocco is the Maghreb, and Tunisia was Africa. 257 00:27:02,240 --> 00:27:04,360 Tlemcen was the capital of the country. 258 00:27:04,520 --> 00:27:09,760 All the commerce between Africa and Europe passed through Tlemcen. 259 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:12,000 It was like a transit. 260 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:17,160 As the commercial fulcrum of Algeria, Tlemcen became a target 261 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:21,600 for the competing Islamic dynasties in North Africa in the Middle Ages. 262 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:25,440 It was the Zayyanids who turned Tlemcen 263 00:27:25,600 --> 00:27:27,800 into a sumptuous royal kingdom. 264 00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:32,040 When the Zayyanids established their dynasty, 265 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:35,520 they built the castle or the palace of El Mechouar. 266 00:27:39,040 --> 00:27:43,160 El Mechouar Palace remains a gem of Zayyanid achievement. 267 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:48,200 The name literally means "the place of Mechouar", 268 00:27:48,360 --> 00:27:51,960 translated as "the place of advisory councils". 269 00:27:53,120 --> 00:27:55,440 It was as much a complex building 270 00:27:55,600 --> 00:27:58,400 set within an impressively walled citadel 271 00:27:58,560 --> 00:28:00,040 where ministers gathered, 272 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:03,880 as it was the royal residence for the Zayyanid ruler Yaghmorassen 273 00:28:04,040 --> 00:28:07,360 who made this his home in the early 14th century. 274 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:11,800 The king's palace is at the heart of the citadel, 275 00:28:11,960 --> 00:28:14,480 and it's most certainly worth a visit. 276 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:19,680 It was one of four 277 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:22,600 and this one is the actual king's residence - 278 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:26,400 a fountain garden of paradise leading to the diwan, 279 00:28:26,560 --> 00:28:28,680 the king's council 280 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:30,400 and harem above. 281 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:35,520 It also has suites on either side, 282 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:38,680 assigned to the seasons of winter and summer. 283 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:41,960 The winter suite is built of stone 284 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:45,920 and the summer one is constructed with marble to keep the rooms cool. 285 00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:52,440 The building has an Andalusian style of Islamic architecture, 286 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:55,360 wrapped in Qur'anic inscriptions, 287 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:57,480 largely restored from the foundations 288 00:28:57,640 --> 00:29:00,200 that have survived wars and uprisings. 289 00:29:01,320 --> 00:29:03,640 Original slabs can be seen in the stonework 290 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:05,480 to reference the reconstruction. 291 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:11,120 Most peculiar, however, are several long white tunnels. 292 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:14,640 One is the king's personal exit to the mosque 293 00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:18,560 but the other was his escape route. 294 00:29:18,720 --> 00:29:21,880 When the city was besieged by the Merenid enemy 295 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:25,000 who descended on Tlemcen at the end of the 13th century, 296 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:28,600 it was thought that the citadel was impregnable, 297 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:32,120 especially with its thick defensive walls 298 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:34,640 which had survived the test of time. 299 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:42,680 At 1299 the Merenid king called El-Mansour 300 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,000 came here to dominate the city of Tlemcen 301 00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:49,680 and he came here in this place which was out of the city 302 00:29:49,840 --> 00:29:53,440 and built a military camp to control the city 303 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:57,880 and to attack, of course, attack the city to dominate it. 304 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:00,720 This is 'El Mansourah', 305 00:30:00,880 --> 00:30:03,760 the remains of Yacoub's military camp 306 00:30:03,920 --> 00:30:07,160 from which he hoped to conquer the walled city of Tlemcen. 307 00:30:08,080 --> 00:30:11,880 A minaret overlooks the enemy so soldiers could keep a lookout. 308 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:16,160 The minaret of El Mansourah is a very particular one. 309 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,600 Why? Because it was built very high. 310 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:25,160 It used to have 45 metres of height and it was built in purpose 311 00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:26,880 to have the chance for the king 312 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,560 to watch all what is happening in the city. 313 00:30:34,960 --> 00:30:36,880 The minaret of El Mansourah 314 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:40,960 had a very beautiful decoration and ornamentation, 315 00:30:41,120 --> 00:30:46,640 different coloured columns, so that every colour represents something 316 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:49,880 which has a relationship with Islam. 317 00:30:50,040 --> 00:30:53,160 Yacoub was hoping for a swift victory, 318 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:55,560 but the siege became a long battle 319 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:59,160 which required the building of this huge citadel. 320 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:04,720 After building these two edifices El Mansourah became a big city 321 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:10,920 surrounded by a great wall, and this great wall had 88 towers. 322 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:15,560 This was followed by a great mosque, 323 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:19,520 which once stood on this expansive courtyard 324 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:22,960 and in the same way that a Christian cathedral denotes the city, 325 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:27,200 so a mosque turns a citadel into a city too. 326 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:31,680 Entering the mosque was rather unconventional... 327 00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:34,800 The particularity of this minaret 328 00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:40,440 is that you can find the principal door of the mosque in the minaret. 329 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:46,400 In ordinary mosques you can find the minaret and the door is apart, 330 00:31:46,560 --> 00:31:49,360 so that the minaret of El Mansourah 331 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:53,200 is at the same time the principal entry of the mosque. 332 00:31:53,360 --> 00:31:54,880 It was a large city. 333 00:31:55,040 --> 00:31:59,040 Of course, they built it to live here in Tlemcen. 334 00:31:59,200 --> 00:32:02,520 In fact, at that time we had two different cities. 335 00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:06,240 The first one is El Mansourah, surrounded by its wall, 336 00:32:06,400 --> 00:32:10,960 and the second one is the original city of Tlemcen, is El Mechouar, 337 00:32:11,120 --> 00:32:15,520 surrounded by a great wall until the city of Agadir. 338 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:19,880 Calling his citadel "the victorious" was a presumption, 339 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:23,640 for Yacoub Mansour could not blow the Tlemcen wall down, 340 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:25,920 no matter how hard he tried. 341 00:32:26,080 --> 00:32:29,400 He abandoned his mission in 1307. 342 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:31,920 And the siege stayed for eight years, 343 00:32:32,080 --> 00:32:35,520 trying and trying to enter the city of Tlemcen, 344 00:32:35,680 --> 00:32:38,520 to control or to dominate the city of Tlemcen. 345 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:40,120 And they didn't succeed. 346 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:44,640 After eight years of trying, they returned to their country, 347 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:46,240 to Morocco. 348 00:32:48,800 --> 00:32:52,080 We leave Tlemcen and head across the Aures Mountains 349 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:53,760 to eastern Algeria, 350 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:57,840 where we explore Roman Timgad in the province of Batna. 351 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:08,360 This is one of the least developed areas of Algeria. 352 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:13,440 Consequently it has some of the most stunning scenery in the country. 353 00:33:14,240 --> 00:33:16,360 It is not surprising that this region 354 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:21,240 was once the domain of those Berber kings of yore, the Numidians. 355 00:33:21,400 --> 00:33:24,280 Their tombs dominate the Batna countryside. 356 00:33:24,440 --> 00:33:27,960 This once-powerful Algerian realm 357 00:33:28,120 --> 00:33:31,560 existed almost 2000 years before French occupation 358 00:33:31,720 --> 00:33:34,320 ignited the fires of independence. 359 00:33:36,080 --> 00:33:38,240 In the plains of Batna, 360 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:41,040 along the foothills of the Aures Mountain range, 361 00:33:41,200 --> 00:33:43,240 there's also a Roman settlement 362 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:47,440 so well preserved that it's called Algeria's Pompeii. 363 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:50,080 It is the city of Timgad, 364 00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:53,640 and it's a must-see for any intrepid traveller. 365 00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:57,640 It's one of Algeria's archaeological jewels. 366 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:04,840 Timgad was built by the great Roman emperor Trajan in 100 AD 367 00:34:05,000 --> 00:34:07,440 as an encampment for his Roman soldiers 368 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:09,640 of the Third Augustan Legion. 369 00:34:12,480 --> 00:34:14,640 Thereafter the area flourished 370 00:34:14,800 --> 00:34:19,160 because of the high productivity of these high plateaux, 371 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:20,840 for wheat production. 372 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:24,520 And the wheat of North Africa, and later its olive oil, 373 00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:28,520 were major economic resources for the area. 374 00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:34,720 The town is famously signposted by a great triumphal arch, 375 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:39,840 and every visitor to the settlement had to choose which god to please. 376 00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:44,800 Local archaeologist Kader Bensalah knows this site well.. 377 00:35:15,720 --> 00:35:17,760 Once inside the main carriageway 378 00:35:17,920 --> 00:35:21,480 you can truly behold this breathtaking settlement 379 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:25,680 on what is a supreme example of Roman urban planning. 380 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:31,560 Timgad is a perfect square, consisting of 111 blocks, 381 00:35:31,720 --> 00:35:34,680 comprising of houses and public buildings. 382 00:35:35,720 --> 00:35:38,320 The town is bisected by two main streets, 383 00:35:38,480 --> 00:35:40,480 set perpendicular to each other. 384 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:20,480 The Forum was the centre of all Roman public life. 385 00:36:20,640 --> 00:36:23,320 This was both the place for social gathering 386 00:36:23,480 --> 00:36:25,160 and for selling goods. 387 00:36:25,320 --> 00:36:28,240 It had a temple dedicated to the Emperor Trajan 388 00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:31,280 and his military victories. 389 00:36:31,440 --> 00:36:33,600 Then there is the Capitol. 390 00:36:33,760 --> 00:36:40,320 This towering temple is dedicated to the gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. 391 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:44,960 There are 14 Roman baths in Timgad. 392 00:36:45,120 --> 00:36:46,440 They would have been used 393 00:36:46,600 --> 00:36:49,320 by weary travellers entering the settlement. 394 00:36:53,400 --> 00:36:55,080 There's also the amphitheatre. 395 00:36:55,240 --> 00:36:57,440 It's built into the side of a hill 396 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:00,640 and is comparatively smaller than other Roman theatres. 397 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:05,280 But it could still seat 3500 spectators on a good day. 398 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,040 The interesting thing about Timgad is, 399 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:11,720 although it is a spectacular sight, 400 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:16,880 it's a spectacular sight with a history that's largely unknown. 401 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:19,720 Its historical references are few. 402 00:37:19,880 --> 00:37:24,320 By and large, Timgad was forgotten in Roman history. 403 00:37:24,480 --> 00:37:26,520 But of course, it's come alive 404 00:37:26,680 --> 00:37:30,120 through the magnificent ruins that we have today. 405 00:37:31,800 --> 00:37:35,000 Timgad appears to have been destroyed 406 00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:37,080 some time in the 5th century 407 00:37:37,240 --> 00:37:40,040 by Moorish brigands. 408 00:37:40,200 --> 00:37:45,160 And when the Byzantines conquered North Africa in 533, 409 00:37:45,320 --> 00:37:49,680 they arrived at Timgad to find the city deserted. 410 00:37:49,840 --> 00:37:52,840 The site was covered with sand and forgotten 411 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:56,000 until it was excavated during the early part 412 00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:59,240 of the French occupation of Algeria. 413 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:06,720 Our next destination is Bejaia. 414 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:10,200 It's a scenic three-hour drive through fantastic scenery 415 00:38:10,360 --> 00:38:12,560 in a region known as Kabyle. 416 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:21,400 Its hills form part of a mountainous belt 417 00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:24,160 that stretches west to Morocco's Atlas Mountains 418 00:38:24,320 --> 00:38:28,360 and east to the Aures Mountains, bordering Tunisia. 419 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:33,800 The capital of Kabylia is the port of Bejaia 420 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:36,240 and the coast around this industrial city 421 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:37,880 bears some impressive coastline. 422 00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:43,040 This land has had a special significance for Berbers 423 00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:44,480 for centuries. 424 00:38:44,640 --> 00:38:49,080 Most recently, like poets such as Hassan Mhamed. 425 00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:29,160 Kabyle is a Berber heartland. 426 00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:33,200 The Berbers are the indigenous people of North Africa 427 00:39:33,360 --> 00:39:35,960 who were here centuries before the Arabs arrived 428 00:39:36,120 --> 00:39:37,640 in the mid-7th century. 429 00:39:40,840 --> 00:39:43,680 Berbers are famed for their craft skills 430 00:39:43,840 --> 00:39:46,680 like pottery and carpet making. 431 00:39:56,680 --> 00:40:01,000 Although Arab influence has heavily inspired Berber dress codes, 432 00:40:01,160 --> 00:40:05,840 women's clothes in particular exude ancient origins. 433 00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:10,480 They have always been vibrant and decorative 434 00:40:10,640 --> 00:40:15,320 with outfits embellished with jewellery and decoration, 435 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:18,520 motifs and insignia. 436 00:40:20,760 --> 00:40:25,400 Each Berber region, such as Kabyle, has its own traditional costumes. 437 00:40:25,560 --> 00:40:28,600 Alia Assio Hodji is a Kabyle seamstress 438 00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:32,520 who is using these traditions in the outfits she is making today. 439 00:40:42,040 --> 00:40:45,800 The Berber colours and distinctive braid decorations. 440 00:41:02,160 --> 00:41:05,600 Folk here speak a Berber dialect, Kabyle. 441 00:41:10,320 --> 00:41:13,320 And although Tamazight, as it's commonly known, 442 00:41:13,480 --> 00:41:17,840 is a dying language, it's still taught passionately in schools. 443 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:24,520 The Berber Tamazight language 444 00:41:24,680 --> 00:41:28,520 was first given an official status in Algeria in 2002, 445 00:41:28,680 --> 00:41:30,600 a year after the bloody riots 446 00:41:30,760 --> 00:41:34,480 that left more than 100 people dead in Kabyle. 447 00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:38,720 In 2016, it became enshrined in the constitution 448 00:41:38,880 --> 00:41:41,880 as a state language alongside Arabic. 449 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:45,920 The Director of Education, Badr Brahim 450 00:41:46,080 --> 00:41:48,000 explains the importance of language 451 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:50,200 to one's sense of identity. 452 00:42:55,120 --> 00:42:58,800 Our final journey takes us to historic Constantine. 453 00:42:59,560 --> 00:43:02,640 Its unique geography has it sitting on a rocky outcrop 454 00:43:02,800 --> 00:43:04,600 connected by eight bridges. 455 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:19,520 It's a busy city, with a population of almost half a million people 456 00:43:19,680 --> 00:43:23,760 and a complicated one-way road system to navigate the gorge. 457 00:43:24,600 --> 00:43:28,120 It's also an historic and traditional place, 458 00:43:28,280 --> 00:43:32,560 a city of quaint souks serving local delicacies 459 00:43:32,720 --> 00:43:37,200 and food such as this, black couscous. 460 00:43:37,360 --> 00:43:39,440 It's called M'ziyet. 461 00:43:39,600 --> 00:43:42,560 Local restaurateur Benachour Bey 462 00:43:42,720 --> 00:43:46,560 explains more about Constantine's signature dish. 463 00:44:23,560 --> 00:44:26,680 M'ziyet, black couscous, is prepared with barley. 464 00:44:26,840 --> 00:44:29,960 The barley is fermented in pits dug underground 465 00:44:30,120 --> 00:44:32,360 and left for up to two years. 466 00:44:32,520 --> 00:44:35,960 It's symbolic of the culinary heritage of Constantine 467 00:44:36,120 --> 00:44:38,520 and its surrounding region. 468 00:44:41,520 --> 00:44:45,480 The M'ziyet is usually served with a spicy meat stew and chickpeas, 469 00:44:45,640 --> 00:44:48,240 cooked with local spices. 470 00:45:11,680 --> 00:45:14,920 The Abdelkader Mosque is the oldest in the city. 471 00:45:15,080 --> 00:45:18,080 It's what the locals call their Taj Mahal. 472 00:45:18,240 --> 00:45:21,840 Built in the 13th century on the site of a pagan temple, 473 00:45:22,000 --> 00:45:25,640 it was intended to hold most of Constantine's population. 474 00:45:25,800 --> 00:45:28,320 Although it has been rebuilt over the centuries 475 00:45:28,480 --> 00:45:30,040 and has a modern facade, 476 00:45:30,200 --> 00:45:34,520 the interior still retains some of its original features. 477 00:45:35,800 --> 00:45:40,000 The monumental mosque seeks to make a powerful Islamic statement, 478 00:45:40,840 --> 00:45:43,640 possibly because Constantine, before the coming of Islam, 479 00:45:43,800 --> 00:45:47,520 was Roman Christianity's first Algerian city. 480 00:45:47,680 --> 00:45:51,440 It was named after its pious emperor of the same name. 481 00:45:51,600 --> 00:45:53,520 The Phoenicians called it Cirta. 482 00:45:53,680 --> 00:45:56,400 In fact, Constantine has always been at the centre 483 00:45:56,560 --> 00:45:59,080 of Algeria's political and cultural life. 484 00:45:59,840 --> 00:46:01,760 The Cirta Museum in the old town hall 485 00:46:01,920 --> 00:46:07,080 offers up an eclectic display of statues, friezes and tombstones. 486 00:46:07,240 --> 00:46:12,120 The museum's director, Dr Amel Soltani, tells us more. 487 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:21,720 The Constantine story begins with these Phoenician tombstones 488 00:46:21,880 --> 00:46:23,200 found in the region, 489 00:46:23,360 --> 00:46:27,480 commemorating pagan deities, like the fertility god Baal. 490 00:46:27,640 --> 00:46:30,960 Phoenician traders then gave way to the Carthaginians 491 00:46:31,120 --> 00:46:32,640 who founded the city of Cirta. 492 00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:36,840 It then became the capital of the kingdom of Numidia 493 00:46:37,000 --> 00:46:40,040 until it was annexed by Rome in 46BC. 494 00:46:40,200 --> 00:46:42,160 Roman Constantine, the city, 495 00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:45,200 was once gloriously decorated with fountains. 496 00:46:45,360 --> 00:46:49,640 This is a surviving sculpture of the Greek god Dionysus, 497 00:46:49,800 --> 00:46:54,840 or the Roman one, Bacchus - the god of agriculture, fertility and wine. 498 00:46:55,000 --> 00:46:58,960 But the presiding exhibits are the Roman mosaics. 499 00:47:11,080 --> 00:47:13,720 These mosaic floors would be found in homes 500 00:47:13,880 --> 00:47:17,280 and in the baths of the Roman upper classes who lived here. 501 00:47:17,440 --> 00:47:20,440 They depict scenes of naval fights and swimmers. 502 00:47:20,600 --> 00:47:24,880 In them you can see a skilful geometry in the typography, 503 00:47:25,040 --> 00:47:26,880 a refined aesthetic in art 504 00:47:27,040 --> 00:47:30,040 that Romans had developed by the second century. 505 00:47:30,200 --> 00:47:34,760 Constantine was eventually sacked by Vandals in the 5th century. 506 00:47:37,640 --> 00:47:40,800 Algeria's Roman ruins are exquisite. 507 00:47:40,960 --> 00:47:45,760 Just outside Constantine is another spectacular site, Djemila. 508 00:47:45,920 --> 00:47:48,400 Originally built for Roman soldiers, 509 00:47:48,560 --> 00:47:51,400 it's another UNESCO World Heritage Site 510 00:47:51,560 --> 00:47:54,400 and it sits in a spectacular setting. 511 00:47:56,280 --> 00:48:00,600 Its remaining centrepiece is the monumental Arch of Caracalla. 512 00:48:01,600 --> 00:48:05,280 Its relics include forums, temples, 513 00:48:05,440 --> 00:48:09,600 basilicas, arches, streets and houses. 514 00:48:22,160 --> 00:48:25,080 Djemila remains one of the most impressive examples 515 00:48:25,240 --> 00:48:27,760 of how the Romans adapted their architecture 516 00:48:27,920 --> 00:48:29,640 to mountainous locations. 517 00:48:29,800 --> 00:48:31,760 It is situated on a hilltop 518 00:48:31,920 --> 00:48:34,840 surrounded by hills of the Atlas Mountain ranges 519 00:48:35,000 --> 00:48:38,120 at an altitude of 3000 feet. 520 00:48:43,480 --> 00:48:47,560 A thousand years later, the Ottomans occupied Algeria. 521 00:48:47,720 --> 00:48:49,600 And three centuries after that, 522 00:48:49,760 --> 00:48:52,880 the Ottoman governor El Hadj Ahmed Bey 523 00:48:53,040 --> 00:48:55,880 built this exquisite Ottoman palace. 524 00:49:00,360 --> 00:49:04,120 The palace has a harem overlooking a series of courtyards, 525 00:49:04,280 --> 00:49:06,520 ringed by tiled arcades. 526 00:49:07,320 --> 00:49:10,480 It's a beautiful Islamic depiction of paradise 527 00:49:10,640 --> 00:49:13,320 and is one of the best-restored palaces of its kind 528 00:49:13,480 --> 00:49:15,120 in all of Algeria. 529 00:49:16,040 --> 00:49:19,120 Local guide Rouag Maidan tells us more. 530 00:49:42,240 --> 00:49:44,400 The timing of the palace's construction 531 00:49:44,560 --> 00:49:46,320 couldn't have been worse. 532 00:49:46,480 --> 00:49:49,160 It coincided with the French siege of Algiers. 533 00:49:49,320 --> 00:49:52,400 As French troops moved eastwards, 534 00:49:52,560 --> 00:49:55,720 Ahmed Bey defended the city with zeal 535 00:49:55,880 --> 00:49:57,840 but he was overwhelmed. 536 00:49:58,000 --> 00:50:01,760 He fled the palace after living in it for only two years. 537 00:50:01,920 --> 00:50:05,280 He did not surrender until 1848, 538 00:50:05,440 --> 00:50:10,120 the same year Abdelkader gave up the fight against France in the west. 539 00:50:11,000 --> 00:50:12,240 After independence, 540 00:50:12,400 --> 00:50:16,640 the Algerian army turned the palace into their military headquarters. 541 00:50:18,720 --> 00:50:22,400 Constantine's history, like much of Algeria, 542 00:50:22,560 --> 00:50:26,680 is a story of conquests, battles and occupations. 543 00:50:27,920 --> 00:50:30,360 This grand monument overlooking Constantine 544 00:50:30,520 --> 00:50:32,160 actually commemorates French soldiers 545 00:50:32,320 --> 00:50:37,240 who lost their lives in World War I battles in faraway Europe. 546 00:50:37,400 --> 00:50:40,600 But it's a great place to view Constantine today 547 00:50:42,160 --> 00:50:43,280 and beyond it, 548 00:50:43,440 --> 00:50:47,160 the rolling hills of a rich and vibrant coastal hinterland. 549 00:50:47,320 --> 00:50:51,040 It's a richness which surprises those who visit 550 00:50:51,200 --> 00:50:54,440 this, Africa's largest country. 551 00:51:41,240 --> 00:51:44,040 Captions (c) SBS Australia 2020