A medieval haven for pirates, the Old City (kasbah) remembers a time when it housed up to 25,000 slaves. Its most famous slave, Miguel Cervantes, spent 5 years in an Algerian prison. A distinctive feature of the old town is the absence of squares, trees and shrubs, with only some grass between the ancient stone slabs. All the streets are a winding labyrinth, intricately intertwined both on the ground and in the upper tier - many roofs of houses are connected to create additional shade.
The Arabic word "kasbah" means fortress. On the site of the remains of the Phoenician city of Ikosium, two fortified neighbourhoods, an upper and a lower one, were built on an elevated site.
Particular attention is attracted by the architectural ensemble of the palace of Dar-as-Sultan, once the residence of the military elite of Algeria. Tourists will certainly be interested in the mosque, Jamma Safir, it, although many times rebuilt, has retained the features of the original building built in 1534.
The old town is not motley, its colours are natural light stone, natural shades characteristic of the landscape of the region, outside a bit of traditional mosaic can be seen in the design of squat entrance doors. The rich decoration has been transferred to the inner courtyards and hammams. In the old city, many girls and go in the national dress - "karake", older women tend to wear the "Algerian hijab."
Vivid impressions will remain at the guests of the kasbah from the local taxi - the load, passengers, food, furniture are transported on donkeys.
The ancient city was the cradle of the struggle for independence of the country, the film "The Battle of Algiers" was filmed here. The old town inspired masterpieces by Degas, Monet and Renoir. The Kasbah is protected by UNESCO.
