Fortification Plan of the City of Algiers during the Ottoman Period

Abstract

The security plan of the city of Algiers, in its general form, was established during the Ottoman period, according to the conditions set by the scholars of Islamic urban jurisprudence, which must be met in the planning of Islamic cities. They strengthened it security-wise by building walls and towers and equipping it with military gear, as well as seeking to close gaps and remedy the weak points in its security plan. They chose the city to be located on a hill, which is a natural fortification, and they surrounded it with a strong wall flanked by towers and batteries. Thus, the condition of protection and the provision of security was achieved in the city, in order to preserve the lives of the inhabitants, secure their property, and fulfill this condition, which played a fundamental role in the stability of the city and its growth in all vital fields, including the political, economic, and social fields. Thus, the city of Algiers became a city comparable to major cities, with great military power on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.