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The term Kasbah or Casba transports our thoughts to medinas or fortresses typical of the Arab world. Heirlooms and authentic treasures, from times past, that allow us to contemplate constructions that in some cases have not been reproduced again due to the advancement of humanity, as well as imagine how the citizens who inhabited them lived.
Without ever traveling, from our sofa or a cinema seat, we have been able to teleport to this type of building, through the films: Lawerence of Arabia, The Mummy, The Jewel of the Nile, Gladiator or the legendary Game of Thrones series. Thrones. They all have a common denominator, the location where they were filmed, the fortified city of Ait Ben Haddou, in Morocco. Without the glamor that celluloid can provide, we have the authenticity of the Kasbah of the capital of Algeria, in Algiers.
As you go deeper into the heart, into the old town, the silence and solitude accompany you, they are only interrupted when you occasionally meet one of the people who reside there.
Made up of steep streets, stairs, labyrinthine alleys, passages, hiding places and buildings that do not hide the passing of the years, some of them are in a very decaying state, they remain because they are propped up and others that unfortunately have not withstood the age of more and they have ended up falling, giving way to empty plots.
It was built ten centuries ago, at 1000 years old it continues to fight to remain in the old part of the city, oblivious to the natural growth of the country's capital. Due to its cultural value and the extraordinary nature of the place, in 1992 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
While you let yourself be carried away by the medina, walking with the tranquility that the place offers you, at times you have fantastic views of the sea, since it is located on a small hill, facing the bay of Algiers.
Its distributed fountains are like a game of clues, which reminds us how important they were in the past, not only for bringing water closer to the inhabitants, but also as a meeting and meeting point, as well as decorative elements.
Other elements that make the Kasbah endearing and that modernize it are the graffiti that we find, improvised soccer fields so that children can play, numerous balconies with hanging clothes, stalls selling clothes, footwear, perfumes and food.
The Kasbah also houses other cultural and heritage assets such as the Dey and Dar Mustapha Pacha palaces. The latter also houses the national museum of miniatures, illumination and calligraphy.
The most striking thing about the building is the central patio, the vaults, the marble columns, the colorful tiles that give it a Mediterranean feel, and the handcrafted wood on the doors and beams.
Another jewel that we find in the lower part of the Kasbah is the Ketchaoua mosque, it was built in 1436 and underwent several changes as a place of worship, since it was converted into a cathedral. In 1962 the temple returned to its origins, to its reason for being, a mosque.
Ketchaoua due to its dimensions, the staircase that presides it made up of 23 steps, the façade made up of arches, gates and columns, the two large minarets, the combination of architectural styles such as Arab, Ottoman and Byzantine, makes it majestic and worthy of admiration .
If you have a little time, sit on the stairs and contemplate everything that happens around the mosque and its surrounding streets. The observation will not leave you indifferent.
For me there is a very special moment when I visit a Muslim country, which is the call of the imam from the mosque to the parishioners. Imagine sitting on the side of the stairs of the Ketchaoua mosque, the imam invoking his prayer and the parishioners filing into the temple. Travel experiences that must be experienced.
It is time to delve into the country's gastronomy. An infinite number of dishes will conquer you, from a wide variety of hummus that can include meat such as shawarma to delicious soups such as lentil soup. As well as meat and fish in various forms, and always with abundant accompaniments: salad, potatoes, peppers or bread.
