Djamaâ Sidi Ramdane

The Djamaâ Sidi Ramdane (Arabic: مسجد سيدي رمضان, lit. 'Sidi Ramadan Mosque') is a Sunni mosque and mausoleum in the city of Algiers, Algeria. Completed during the 11th century CE, the mosque is a part of the Casbah of Algiers, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

1. Etymology

The mosque is named after Sidi Ramadan, one of the soldiers who participated in the early conquests of North Africa, led by Uqba ibn Nafi. After the conquest of Algiers, Ramadan was assigned by Uqba as a chief of the city. He was buried in the pillar of the mosque after his death. Another account of the naming origin tells that Sidi Ramadan was a generous wali of the city of Biskra. Sheikh Abdurrahman al-Gilani tells in his work that the actual name of the mosque was Al-Qaid Ramadan Mosque, and mentions the name of Ibn al-Mufta who contributed greatly to the foundation.

1. History

The date of the mosque's foundation is not known exactly, but it is known that it at least predates the Ottoman period of the city. Georges Marçais, a 20th-century French archeologist, suggested that its foundation could be roughly contemporary with the late 11th-century Great Mosque of Algiers, founded by the Almoravids. Algerian newspaper al-Hiwar, after interviewing local experts and staff at the mosque, reported that current available information dates its foundation to the 10th or 11th century. The mosque is located at the upper part of the city, and constituted the old border of the Casbah (citadel or kasbah) when the city was controlled by Amazigh rulers. The mosque was designated as the National Heritage of Algeria in 1904. It was also inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site List as a part of the Casbah of Algiers in 1992. Mohamed Charef served as imam from 1908 until 2011.

1. Architecture

The mosque has a relatively simple form, with a hypostyle prayer hall divided by rows of arches supported by columns. Along three outer edges of the hall are elevated galleries or balconies that serve as the women's section for prayers. The mosque's attached minaret has sebka decoration carved across its façades. The remains of Sidi Ramadan are housed in a small independent mausoleum next to the mosque. The mosque has an interior area of 400 square metres (4,300 sq ft) and its minaret is 32 metres (105 ft) high.

1. Gallery


1. See also

Islam in Algeria List of mosques in Algeria List of World Heritage Sites in Algeria

1. References


1. External links

Media related to Sidi Ramdan Mosque at Wikimedia Commons

Images of Sidi Ramdane Mosque in Manar al-Athar digital heritage archive

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Casbah of Algiers

The Casbah of Algiers, commonly referred to as the Casbah (Arabic: القصبة, Al-qaṣabah, meaning "citadel"), corresponds to the old town or medina of Algiers, the capital of Algeria. It is a historic district that has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1992. Administratively, it is located within the municipality of Casbah, in the province of Algiers. Likely inhabited since the Neolithic period, as were various sites in the Algiers Sahel, the first mentions of the city date back to Antiquity, when it was initially a Phoenician port, later becoming Berber and eventually Roman. The current urban framework was designed in the 10th century by the Berbers under the Zirid dynasty, later enriched by contributions from other Berber dynasties that successively ruled the central Maghreb. The Casbah reached its peak during the period of the Regency of Algiers, serving as the seat of political power. Colonized by the French in 1830, it was gradually marginalized as power centers shifted to the new city. During the Algerian War, the Casbah played a crucial role, as a stronghold for FLN independence fighters. After Algeria gained independence in 1962, the Casbah did not reclaim its former central role and remained a marginalized city area. An example of Islamic architecture and urban planning characteristic of Arab-Berber medinas, the Casbah is also a symbol of Algerian culture, a source of artistic inspiration, and home to an ancestral artisanal heritage. Local actors continue to fight to preserve and sustain its tangible and intangible heritage.

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