History of Algiers
The earliest known fact about Algiers is that it was occupied by an Imazighen tribe of the Sanhadja clan, the Beni Mezghanna in the 7th century A.D. They named it Djezaor Beni Mezghanna. In the 10th century, it was restored and enlarged by Bologhine Ibn Ziri. Between the 11th and the 15th century, Algiers was the heart of the historic happenings of the Maghreb. The city submitted to the authority of all dynasties that followed each other, including the Governorate of the Thalibas tribe. From the 16th to the 19th century-the Ottoman period- Algiers becomes the capital of the country.
On July 5, 1830, the French forces occupied Algiers and that was to be a turning point in the history of the city.
Algiers during the War of Liberation
By the convention of the Soummam in August 195, the Seat of the C.C.E (Committee of Co-ordination and Execution) of the F.L.N. Algiers was erected in an Autonomous Zone. During 1957 Algiers becomes an operational zone and the theatre of a struggle without respite. January to October of the same year was the bloodiest months in the history of the Liberation War. It was the blind repression "en mass": 24,000 assigned to residency, 4,000 officially recorded disappearances, and the untraceable other thousands.
Thus, Algiers is since the beginning of the Revolution the privileged place of important political events.
¤ November 1st, 1954: Actions against buildings of the colonial administration and the economic establishments.
¤ May 19, 1956: General strike of students and lycιens.
¤ January 28 - February 04 1957: patriotic strike of the "08 Days".
¤ May 13, 1958: Demonstration by European activists of the Committee of Public Salvation.
¤ January 1960: Week of Barricades by the European activists.
¤ December 11, 1960: Massive demonstrations of the Algerian population.
¤ March 1961 June 1962: Organisation of Secret Army Period.
¤ April 1961: Putsch by French Generals against De Gaulle.
¤ July 05, 1961: Demonstrations by the Algerian population for the F.L.N.
Since independence, actions of rehabilitation of the Casbah were considered by the National Office of Study of Architecture and Urbanism (E.T.A.U.) that completed an investigations' dossier (1968 - 1970).
The Comedor, body in charge of the urban planning of the agglomeration of Algiers, was assigned the conservation operations of the historic city (1971 - 1972).
In 1978, the wilaya of Algiers ordered from ETAU (Casbah Unit) a survey to re-actualise and develop the conservation project led by the Comedor.
In view of the magnitude of the operation, the Algerian authorities had solicited the involvement of UNESCO. This was materialized through a convention for aid established in 1979. |
