Frightening! Twin Tornadoes Rip Through Nebraska Town

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Mother nature’s fury knew no bounds in northwest Nebraska. Not one, two tornadoes ripped, touched down near Pilger, a town of a small population of about 350 people.
Reuters reported that the tornadoes appeared to be class EF-2 or EF-3 twisters, meaning they packed cyclonic winds of up to 165 miles per hour (265 kph).
One person is reported dead and 16 injured.
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And if that wasn’t scary enough, watch this video of the deadly twins trying to merge. Skip to 1:10.

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Hagia Sophia – where time keeps secrets


To describe the majestic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul as an ancient orthodox church-turned-cathedral-turned-mosque-turned-museum is accurate but woefully inadequate










 Lakshmi Sharath/Lakshmi Sharath - The ceiling of the historic Hagia Sophia in Istanbul





I am on the road, travelling from one continent to another. My destination is the European quarter of the old city, Istanbul. A melange of cultures across different timelines merges here as the Bosphorus Strait bridges Asia and Europe in this ancient city. The skyline of Istanbul appears around me, dotted with minarets and mosques, palaces and churches, and each one of them has a story to tell. There are the Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque, but if there is one monument that can tell the story of Istanbul, it is Hagia Sophia. To me this 1,500-year-old building mirrors the history of the city itself. An ancient orthodox church-turned-cathedral-turned-mosque-turned-museum, this 6th century monument, Aya Sophia takes you through the turn of history in this city from the era of Byzantine Emperor Justinian to King Mehmet II of the Ottoman dynasty.
Hagia Sophia has been built and rebuilt to remain ageless and timeless. The earliest church was built here in the 4th century and rebuilt a century later, only to be razed to the ground by a fire during a revolt. Even today, remnants of the second church can be found here. In the 6th century the present church was commissioned by Emperor Justinian and it was considered an architectural marvel of the Byzantine Empire. My guide tells me the architects were a physicist and a mathematician chosen by none less than the king himself. For more than 900 years, it was the symbol of Orthodox Christianity until the Ottoman Empire took over this region.
Relics and symbols of both faiths reside in this marvellous piece of Byzantine architecture. Glittering mosaics and marble pillars hold your attention, but what really takes your breath away is the massive 105-foot dome towering 180 feet above my head. My guide adds that it rivals Rome’s Pantheon, whose dome is slightly bigger. Sitting beside two smaller domes, this rests right in the centre.




 







A 9th century mosaic depicting the Virgin Mary with an infant Jesus in her arms, flanked by the Roman emperors …





I am fascinated by the ancient mosaics created in the 6th century that depicted Jesus, Virgin Mary, kings and queens. Almost every wall of the ancient Byzantine cathedral is decorated by these mosaics. Above the imperial door is a 9th century mosaic, which shows Christ blessing a king. Another mosaic shows Virgin Mary with an infant Jesus in her arms, flanked by the emperors Justinian and Constantine. It is believed that the former king is holding a model of the church while the latter is showing a model of the city named after him. The golden background to the mosaic on the apse is believed to be from the original church. Most of the ancient mosaics were destroyed at different periods of history and were covered for centuries but some were restored and copied later.
Hagia Sophia was converted into a mosque when Mehmet II conquered Istanbul, then known as Constantinople, after a 50-day siege. It was believed that the Prophet Mohammad had mentioned that the first Muslim to pray in Hagia Sophia would go to heaven. It became the Imperial Mosque and even the adjacent Blue Mosque, built much later, was inspired by it.
But there is a mysterious side to the Hagia Sophia. Tunnels were built below it and it is believed that they spanned the ancient city of Constantinople. As the city was constantly under attack, precious stones and treasures were said to be buried underneath as well. Even today, the monument keeps its shares of secrets.
Light filters through the windows lending a mystical feel to the monument. I linger for a while, walking around, and then finally head out towards the Blue Mosque.
 


Getting there
Istanbul is well connected to all Indian cities in India. Turkish Airways is the preferred airline and there are flights operating out of Mumbai and Delhi.







10 Weird Facts About The Bermuda Triangle

The Bermuda Triangle has claimed thousands of lives, swallowing up the sailors & pilots who dare venture through it. Where do they go? What's underneath the triangle? And what exactly is the Dragon's Triangle? Take a look at the video to countdown the weirdest facts about the Bermuda Triangle










All the perfumes of Arabia - the hidden treasures of Salalah


Every year from June to September, Salalah in southern Oman receives a blessing from nature that no other region in the Arab Gulf is fortunate to experience - the monsoon. Locally known as Kharif, it drapes the desert with a blanket of green and brings temperatures tumbling down. Salalah is also the land of frankincense, and part of an ancient trade route that goes back thousands of years









 Salalah is the second largest city situated in the Dhofar governorate in the south of the Sultanate of Oman. It is a ruggedly beautiful region with a rich history rooted in the ancient frankincense trade. For this reason, it is often known as the Perfume Capital of Arabia. It is also the only region in the Arab Gulf, besides Yemen, that is blessed with a Khareef (rainy) season. During this time, when the monsoon winds blow moist and heavy through the region, Salalah dons a green blanket. In fact, from June to September, the arid desert is unrecognizable, covered as it is with lush greenery. Even as the rest of the Arabian peninsula scorches at over 45 degrees Celsius, it rarely gets warmer than 27 degrees in Salalah. Together with its date palms all over itself during the months of June to September. The lush greenery that one witnesses in Salalah during the Khareef season is comparable to the greenery of southeastern India giving Salalah the title of ‘Kerala of the Middle East.’





 Fisherfolk haul in the catch in Salalah, southern Oman.
These little-known treasures of Salalah deserve a place on your bucket list.


Frankincense Trail
Frankincense is the aromatic resin of the Boswellia tree, which grows in southern Arabia, northern Africa and India. From Biblical times, it has been regarded as a precious substance and various books of the Bible are replete with mentions describing it as such. Frankincense is used in perfumery and medicine.





 Aromatic resin from the Boswellia tree is collected to prepare frankincense


The Omani researcher and historian, Abdul Qadir bin Salim Al Ghassani, mentions in his book Dhofar, the Land of Frankincense that Alexander the Great had imported huge quantities of incense from Arab lands. Other sources suggest that frankincense was used round the throne of King Solomon as incense. Legend holds that when Emperor Nero’s wife died, the Emperor burned the equivalent of the whole of southern Arabian peninsula’s yield of frankincense. In the present time, frankincense is used at the Vatican in Rome.


Wadi Dawkah, with its resident frankincense trees, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For those who wish to treat themselves to a unique taste of history, don’t forget to buy buy frankincense ice cream and frankincense honey from the souqs of Salalah.





 A view of the leafy Salalah coastline


Al Baleed
Also part of the Frankincense Trail is the ancient port of Al Baleed. Historical findings indicate that the city dates back to 2000 BC. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Al Baleed is a combination of an open-air archaeological site and the Museum of the Frankincense Lands.





 The tomb of Prophet Bin Ali in Mirbat, Dhofar Governorate, Sultanate of Oman





 A view of the coastline in Mirbat, southern Oman.


Mirbat
Mirbat is a charming coastal town in the Dhofar Governorate. Historically, it traded in horses and frankincense. Overlooking the harbour entrance is Mirbat Fort which, in origin, is an early 19th century fortification.





 A view of the interiors of the visitor centre at the Amouage Factory in Muscat.





 Amouage Factory and visitor centre in Muscat, Oman





 Another view of the visitor centre.





 You can sample perfumes at the visitor centre.





 A copper still used for steam distillation of essential oils at the Amouage Factory in Muscat, Oman.





 The finished product - bottled Amouage perfumes, the exquisite fragrance of Oman.


The Tomb of Prophet Job (Nabi Ayoub)



The tomb known within the region as that of Prophet Job (Nabi Ayoub) has a magnificent location set high in the mountains overlooking the sea and coastal plain around Salalah.




 Wadi Bani Khalid in Sharqiya, Oman, is a veritable oasis of turquoise water against the hot, arid desert.





 The natural beauty of Wadi Bani Khalid, bounded by the eastern Hajar mountains, makes it a much-visited tourist destination in Oman.





 Pouring out a sluice in the rocks, the stream leads to an underwater cave.





 From a bridge over the wadi, these local boys take turns diving in. The mere sight is hypnotic and calming on a searing-hot summer day.





 On weekends (Thursdays and Fridays in Oman), Wadi Bani Khalid is thronged by visitors. On this weekday afternoon, though, there are few visitors but goatherds and villagers.





 Wadi Tiwi, known as the Wadi of the Nine Villages, in Oman can be accessed easily from the city of Sur, about 240 km from Muscat along the coastal road.





 The approach to Wadi Tiwi in Oman





 A muddy track skirts Wadi Tiwi. The coastal highway from Sur to Muscat can be seen in the background.





 The heat of a summer's day disappears in the cool, green-blue waters of Wadi Bani Khalid. You can't but envy these boys.






 Trees laden with fruit, like these mangoes, are a common sight near Wadis, which supply precious fresh water in the desert of Oman.



Blowholes



Perhaps
the most famous attraction of the Governorate of Dhofar are the
‘blowholes’ at Mugsayl to the west of Salalah. Small holes in the rock
just above the sea allow a forceful fountain of sea water to explode
into the air when the sea is rough.


Wadi Darbat in the monsoon is swathed in a green carpet












Wadi Darbat
The word wadi is used to describe watercourses in the desert that range from aquifers and seasonal rivers to riverine valleys. Wadi Darbat, which overlooks the archaeological site of Khor Rori, carves its way through the highlands of Salalah and forms picturesque waterfalls. The wadi is secreted in the mountains overlooking the site of Khor Rawri, an ancient port. Within the wadi are several small lakes overlooked by undulating hillsides.





 

10 Things That Will Kill You In Under An Hour


A snail that can kill in just 60 minutes, and a medieval illness that will make you sweat to death. Discover ten terrifying things that deliver a swift and painful death.






Algiers - City of Algeria_Part_2_Last


History



Old Algiers in the 16th century, with the Spanish-built Peñón of Algiers in the forefront.


 A Phoenician commercial outpost called Ikosim which later developed into a small Roman town called Icosium existed on what is now the marine quarter of the city. The rue de la Marine follows the lines of what used to be a Roman street. Roman cemeteries existed near Bab-el-Oued and Bab Azoun. The city was given Latin rights by Vespasian. The bishops of Icosium are mentioned as late as the 5th century.







The present-day city was founded in 944 by Bologhine ibn Ziri, the founder of the Berber Zirid–Sanhaja dynasty. He had earlier (935) built his own house and a Sanhaja center at Ashir, just south of Algiers. Although his Zirid dynasty was overthrown by Roger II of Sicily in 1148, the Zirids had already lost control of Algiers to their cousins the Hammadids in 1014.[4] The city was wrested from the Hammadids by the Almohades in 1159, and in the 13th century came under the dominion of the Ziyanid sultans of Tlemcen. Nominally part of the sultanate of Tlemcen, Algiers had a large measure of independence under amirs of its own due to Oran being the chief seaport of the Ziyanids.




Abraham Duquesne delivering Christian captives in Algiers after the bombing in 1683.



As early as 1302 the islet of Peñón in front of Algiers harbour had been occupied by Spaniards. Thereafter, a considerable amount of trade began to flow between Algiers and Spain. However, Algiers continued to be of comparatively little importance until after the expulsion of the Moors from Spain, many of whom sought asylum in the city. In 1510, following their occupation of Oran and other towns on the coast of Africa, the Spaniards fortified the islet of Peñon and imposed a levy intended to suppress corsair activity.[5]





Ottoman rule


In 1516, the amir of Algiers, Selim b. Teumi, invited the corsair brothers Aruj and Hayreddin Barbarossa to expel the Spaniards. Aruj came to Algiers, ordered the assassination of Selim, and seized the town and ousted the Spanish in the Capture of Algiers (1516). Hayreddin, succeeding Aruj after the latter was killed in battle against the Spaniards in the Fall of Tlemcen (1517), was the founder of the pashaluk, which subsequently became the beylik, of Algeria. Barbarossa lost Algiers in 1524 but regained it with the Capture of Algiers (1529), and then formally invited the Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent to accept sovereignty over the territory and to annex Algiers to the Ottoman Empire.







Historic map of Algiers by Piri Reis








Algiers from this time became the chief seat of the Barbary pirates. In October 1541 in the Algiers expedition, the King of Spain and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V sought to capture the city, but a storm destroyed a great number of his ships, and his army of some 30,000, chiefly made up of Spaniards, was defeated by the Algerians under their Pasha, Hassan.


Formally part of the Ottoman Empire but essentially free from Ottoman control, starting in the 17th century Algiers turned to piracy and ransoming. Due to its location on the periphery of both the Ottoman and European economic spheres, and depending for its existence on a Mediterranean that was increasingly controlled by European shipping, backed by European navies, piracy became the primary economic activity. Repeated attempts were made by various nations to subdue the pirates that disturbed shipping in the western Mediterranean and engaged in slave raids as far north as Iceland.[6] The United States fought two wars (the First and Second Barbary Wars) over Algiers' attacks on shipping.
The city under Ottoman control was enclosed by a wall on all sides, including along the seafront. In this wall, five gates allowed access to the city, with five roads from each gate dividing the city and meeting in front of the Ketchaoua Mosque. In 1556, a citadel was constructed at the highest point in the wall. A major road running north to south divided the city in two: The upper city (al-Gabal, or 'the mountain') which consisted of about fifty small quarters of Andalusian, Jewish, Moorish and Kabyle communities, and the lower city (al-Wata, or 'the plains') which was the administrative, military and commercial centre of the city, mostly inhabited by Turkish dignitaries and other upper-class families.[7]
In August 1816, the city was bombarded by a British squadron under Lord Exmouth (a descendant of Thomas Pellew, taken in an Algerian slave raid in 1715[citation needed]), assisted by Dutch men-of-war, destroying the corsair fleet harboured in Algiers.





French rule







The bombardment of Algiers by Lord Exmouth, August 1816, painted by Thomas Luny








The history of Algiers from 1830 to 1962 is bound to the larger history of Algeria and its relationship to France. On July 4, 1830, under the pretext of an affront to the French consul—whom the dey had hit with a fly-whisk when the consul said the French government was not prepared to pay its large outstanding debts to two Algerian merchants—a French army under General de Bourmont attacked the city in the 1830 invasion of Algiers. The city capitulated the following day. Algiers became the capital of French Algeria.




Ornate Ottoman cannon found in Algiers on 8 October 1581 by Ca'fer el-Mu'allim. Length: 385 cm, cal:178 mm, weight: 2910 kg, stone projectile. Seized by France during the invasion of Algiers in 1830. Musée de l'Armée, Paris.



Many Europeans settled in Algiers, and by the early 20th century they formed a majority of the city's population.[8] During the 1930s, the architect Le Corbusier drew up plans for a complete redesign of the colonial city. Le Corbusier was highly critical of the urban style of Algiers, describing the European district as "nothing but crumbling walls and devastated nature, the whole a sullied blot". He also criticised the difference in living standards he perceived between the European and African residents of the city, describing a situation in which "the 'civilised' live like rats in holes" whereas "the 'barbarians' live in solitude, in well-being".[9] However, these plans were ultimately ignored by the French administration.
During World War II, Algiers was the last city to be seized from the Germans by the Allies during Operation Torch.


In 1962, after a bloody independence struggle in which hundreds of thousands (estimates range between 350,000 to 1,500,000) died (mostly Algerians but also French and Pieds-Noirs) during fighting between the French Army and the Algerian Front de Libération Nationale, Algeria gained its independence, with Algiers as its capital. Since then, despite losing its entire pied-noir population, the city has expanded massively. It now has about five million inhabitants, or 10 percent of Algeria's population—and its suburbs now cover most of the surrounding Mitidja plain.





Algerian War






City and harbour of Algiers, c. 1921





Algiers also played a pivotal role in the Algerian War (1954–1962), particularly during the Battle of Algiers when the 10th Parachute Division of the French Army, starting on January 7, 1957, and on the orders of then French Minister of Justice François Mitterrand (who authorized any means "to eliminate the insurrectionists"[citation needed]), led attacks against the Algerian fighters for independence. Algiers remains marked by this battle, which was characterized by merciless fighting between FLN forces which carried out a terror campaign against French civilians and pro-French Algerians, and the French Army which responded with a bloody repression against the rebels. The demonstrations of May 13 during the crisis of 1958 provoked the fall of the Fourth Republic in France, as well as the return of General de Gaulle to power.



Independence






Coat of arms of Algiers during French colonization




Algeria achieved independence on July 5, 1962. Run by the FLN that had secured independence, Algiers became a member of Non-Aligned Movement during the Cold War. In October 1988, one year before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Algiers was the site of demonstrations demanding the end of the single party system and the creation of a real democracy baptized the “Spring of Algiers”. The demonstrators were repressed by the authorities (more than 300 dead), but the movement constituted a turning point in the political history of modern Algeria. In 1989, a new constitution was adopted that put an end to the reign of the single party and saw the creation of more than fifty political parties, as well as official freedom of the press.
 


Crisis of the 1990s
The city became the theatre of many political demonstrations of all descriptions until 1992. In 1991, a political entity dominated by religious conservatives called the Islamic Salvation Front engaged in a political test of wills with the authorities. In the 1992 elections for the Algerian National Assembly, the Islamists garnered a large amount of support in the first round, helped by a massive abstention from disillusioned Algerian voters by the turn of events. Fearing an eventual win by the Islamists, the army cancelled the election process, setting off a civil war between the State and armed religious conservatives which would last for a decade.
On December 11, 2007, two car bombs exploded in Algiers. One bomb targeted two United Nations buildings and the other targeted a government building housing the Supreme Court. The death toll is at least 62, with over two hundred injured in the attacks.[10] However, only 26 remained hospitalized the following day.[11] As of 2008, it is speculated that the attack was carried out by the Al Qaida cell within the city.[12]
Indigenous terrorist groups have been actively operating in Algeria since around 2002.





Geography


Districts of Algiers












 Notre Dame d'Afrique, built by European settlers in 1872




Astronaut view of Algiers





  • The Casbah (of Al Qasbah , “the Citadel”), Ier District of Algiers: called Al-Djazaïr Al Mahroussa (“Well Kept Algiers”), it is founded on the ruins of old Icosium. It is a small city which, built on a hill, goes down towards the sea, divided in two: the High city and the Low city. One finds there masonries and mosques of the 17th century; Ketchaoua mosque (built in 1794 by the Dey Baba Hassan) flanked by two minarets, mosque el Djedid (built in 1660, at the time of Turkish regency) with its large finished ovoid cupola points some and its four coupolettes, mosque El Kébir (oldest of the mosques, it was built by almoravide Youssef Ibn Tachfin and rebuilt later in 1794), mosque Ali Betchnin (Raïs, 1623), Dar Aziza, palate of Jénina. In the Kasbah, there are also labyrinths of lanes and houses that are very picturesque; and if one gets lost there, it is enough to go down again towards the sea to reposition oneself.



  •  Bab El Oued : Literally the River's Gate, the popular district which extends from the Casbah beyond "the gate of the river". It is the capital's darling and best liked borough. Famous for its square with “the three clocks” and for its “market Triplet”, it is also a district of workshops and manufacturing plants.



  •  Edge of sea : from 1840, the architects Pierre-August Guiauchain and Charles Frédéric Chassériau designed new buildings apart from the Kasbah, town hall, law courts, buildings, theatre, palace of the Governor, casino ... to form an elegant walk bordered by arcades which is the boulevard today Che Guevara (ex-boulevard of Republic).



  •  Kouba (will daira of Hussein-dey): Kouba is an old village which was absorbed by the expansion of the town of Algiers. Of village, Kouba quickly developed under the French colonial era then continued growing due to formidable demographic expansion that Algiers knew after the independence of Algeria in 1962. It is today a district of Algiers which is largely made up of houses, villas and buildings not exceeding five stories.



  •  El Harrach, a suburb of Algiers, is located about 10 kilometres (6 miles) to the east of the city.



  •  The communes of Hydra, Ben Aknoun, El-Biar and Bouzareah form what the inhabitants of Algiers call the heights of Algiers. These communes shelter the majority of the foreign embassies of Algiers, of many ministries and university centers, which makes it one of the administrative and policy centers of the country.



  •  The street Didouche Mourade is located in the 3rd district Of Algiers. It extends from the Grande Post office to the Heights of Algiers. It crosses in particular the place Audin , the Faculty of Algiers , The Crowned Heart and the park of Galland . It is bordered by smart stores and restaurants along most of its length. It is regarded as the heart of the capital.



Climate









Algiers has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification Csa) with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. Its proximity to the Mediterranean Sea aids in moderating the city's temperatures. As a result Algiers usually does not see the extreme temperatures that are experienced in the adjacent interior deserts. Algiers on average receives roughly 600 millimetres (24 in) of rain per year, the bulk of which is seen between October and April.
Snow is very rare; in 2012, the city received 10 centimetres (3.9 in), its first snowfall in eight years.





Local architecture


There are many public buildings of interest, including the whole Kasbah quarter, Martyrs Square (Sahat ech-Chouhada ساحة الشهداء), the government offices (formerly the British consulate), the "Grand", "New", and Ketchaoua Mosques, the Roman Catholic cathedral of Notre Dame d'Afrique, the Bardo Museum (a former Turkish mansion), the old Bibliothèque Nationale d'Alger—a Turkish palace built in 1799–1800—and the new National Library, built in a style reminiscent of the British Library.







Algiers waterfront










The main building in the Kasbah was begun in 1516 on the site of an older building, and served as the palace of the deys until the French conquest. A road has been cut through the centre of the building, the mosque turned into barracks, and the hall of audience allowed to fall into ruin. There still remain a minaret and some marble arches and columns. Traces exist of the vaults in which were stored the treasures of the dey.







Cosmopolitan Algiers










The Great Mosque (Jamaa-el-Kebir الجامع الكبير) is the oldest mosque in Algiers. It was first built by Yusuf ibn Tashfin, but reconstructed many times. The pulpit (minbar منبر) bears an inscription showing that the building existed in 1097. The minaret was built by the sultan of Tlemcen, in 1324.[13] The interior of the mosque is square and is divided into aisles by columns joined by Moorish arches.
The New Mosque (Jamaa-el-Jedid الجامع الجديد), dating from the 17th century, is in the form of a Greek cross, surmounted by a large white cupola, with four small cupolas at the corners. The minaret is 27 metres (89 ft) high. The interior resembles that of the Grand Mosque.
The church of the Holy Trinity (built in 1870) stands at the southern end of the rue d'Isly near the site of the demolished Fort Bab Azoun باب عزون. The interior is richly decorated with various coloured marbles. Many of these marbles contain memorial inscriptions relating to the British residents (voluntary and involuntary) of Algiers from the time of John Tipton, the first English consul, in 1580 (NB Some sources give 1585). One tablet records that in 1631 two Algerine pirate crews landed in Ireland, sacked Baltimore.







The Ketchaoua Mosque








The Ketchaoua mosque (Djamaa Ketchaoua جامع كتشاوة), at the foot of the Casbah, was before independence in 1962 the cathedral of St Philippe, itself made in 1845 from a mosque dating from 1612. The principal entrance, reached by a flight of 23 steps, is ornamented with a portico supported by four black-veined marble columns. The roof of the nave is of Moorish plaster work. It rests on a series of arcades supported by white marble columns. Several of these columns belonged to the original mosque. In one of the chapels was a tomb containing the bones of San Geronimo. The building seems a curious blend of Moorish and Byzantine styles.
Algiers possesses a college with schools of law, medicine, science and letters. The college buildings are large and handsome. The Bardo Museum in Tunisia holds some of the ancient sculptures and mosaics discovered in Algeria, together with medals and Algerian money.
The port of Algiers is sheltered from all winds. There are two harbours, both artificial—the old or northern harbour and the southern or Agha harbour. The northern harbour covers an area of 95 hectares (235 acres). An opening in the south jetty affords an entrance into Agha harbour, constructed in Agha Bay. Agha harbour has also an independent entrance on its southern side. The inner harbour was begun in 1518 by Khair-ad-Din Barbarossa (see History, below), who, to accommodated his pirate vessels, caused the island on which was Fort Penon to be connected with the mainland by a mole. The lighthouse which occupies the site of Fort Penon was built in 1544.
Algiers was a walled city from the time of the deys until the close of the 19th century. The French, after their occupation of the city (1830), built a rampart, parapet and ditch, with two terminal forts, Bab Azoun باب عزون to the south and Bab-el-Oued باب الواد to the north. The forts and part of the ramparts were demolished at the beginning of the 20th century, when a line of forts occupying the heights of Bouzareah بوزريعة (at an elevation of 396 metres (1,299 ft) above the sea) took their place. Notre Dame d'Afrique, a church built (1858–1872) in a mixture of the Roman and Byzantine styles, is conspicuously situated overlooking the sea, on the shoulder of the Bouzareah hills, 3 km (2 mi) to the north of the city. Above the altar is a statue of the Virgin depicted as a black woman. The church also contains a solid silver statue of the archangel Michael, belonging to the confraternity of Neapolitan fishermen.
Villa Abd-el-Tif, former residence of the dey, was used during the French period, to accommodate French artists, chiefly painters, and winners of the Abd-el-Tif prize, among whom Maurice Boitel, for a while of two years. Nowadays, Algerian artists are back in the villa's studios.





Monuments












 The Monument of the Martyrs (Maquam E’chahid)







 The El Jedid mosque at the Place des Martyrs







Grand Post Office








Notre Dame d'Afrique , accessible by one cable car, is one of the city's most outstanding monuments: located in the district of Z' will ghara, the basilica was built around 1858.
Monument des Martyrs ( Maquam E' chahid ): an iconic concrete monument commemorating the Algerian war for independence. The monument was opened in 1982 on the 20th anniversary of Algeria's independence. It is fashioned in the shape of three standing palm leaves which shelter the "Eternal Flame" beneath. At the edge of each palm leaf stands a statue of a soldier, each representing a stage of Algeria's struggle.


The El Jedid mosque at the Place des Martyrs near the port.
Place of the Emir Abdelkader (formerly Bugeaud): in memory of the famous emir Abd El-Kader, resistant during French conquest of Algeria.
Grand Post Office (1910, by Voinot and Tondoire): construction of the neo-Moorish type which is in full centre town of Algiers.
The Jardin d'essai (Garden of Test; El-Hamma): situated in the east of Algiers, it extends over 80 hectares (198 acres) and contains exotic plants and gardens. It was created in 1832 by A. Hardy.
Villa Abd-el-Hair , with the top of the Garden of test, one of the old residences of the dey, where until 1962, were placed the artists prizes winner of Price Abd-el-Hair, and in particular Maurice Boitel and Andre Hamburg.
Citadel .
Riadh El-Feth (shopping centre and art gallery).
Ketchaoua Mosque (This mosque became the Saint-Philippe cathedral during colonization before becoming again a mosque).
National Library , is in the district of El HAMMA. Architecture modèrne.
The Great Mosque of Algiers at the Rue de la Marine. It is the oldest mosque of Algiers and was built during the reign of the Almoravid sultan Yusuf ibn Tashfin.





Demographics


Algiers has a population of about 3,335,418(2012 estimate).























YearPopulation
1977 (Census)1,353,826
1987 (Census)1,507,241
1998 (Census)1,519,570
2007 (Estimate)2,072,993


The ethnic distribution is 53% from an Arabic-speaking background, 44% from a Berber-speaking background and 3% foreign-born, mostly from China, Vietnam, and Mali.


  •  1940 – 300,000 people lived in Algiers.

  •  1960 – 900,000 people lived in Algiers.

  •  1963 – 600,000 people lived in Algiers.






Economy


Algiers is an important economic, commercial and financial center, with in particular a stock exchange with a capitalisation of 60 million euros. The city has the highest cost of living of any city in North Africa, as well as the 50th highest worldwide, as of March 2007, having gained one position compared to the previous year.







"Centre Commercial Al Qods" in Algiers










Mohamed Ben Ali El Abbar, president of the Council d administration of the emirate group EMAAR, presented five "megaprojects" to Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, during a ceremony which took place Saturday, July 15 with the Palate of the People of Algiers. The projects will transform the city of Algiers and its surroundings by equipping them with a retail area, and restoration and leisure facilities.
The first project will concentrate on the reorganization and the development of the infrastructures of the railway station "Aga" located in the downtown area. Ultramodern, the station, intended to accommodate more than 80.000 passengers per day, will become a center of circulation in the heart of the grid system, surrounded by commercial offices and buildings and hotels intended for travelers in transit. A shopping centre and three high-rise office buildings rising with the top of the commercial zone will accompany the project.
The second project will not relate to the bay of Algiers and aims to revitalize the sea front. The development of the 44 km (27 mi) sea front will include marinas, channels, luxury hotels, offices, apartments of great standing, luxury stores and leisure amenities. A crescent-shaped peninsula will be set up on the open sea. The project of the bay of Algiers will also comprise six small islands, of which four of round form, connected to each other by bridges and marinas and will include tourist and residential complexes.












 Air Algérie head office in Place Audin near the University of Algiers, in Alger-Centre





The third project will relate to restructuring an area of Algiers, qualified by the originators of the project of "city of wellness". El Abbar indicated to the journalists that the complex would be "agréable for all those which will want to combine tourism and wellbeing or tourism and relaxation". The complex will include a university, a research center and a medical centre. It should also include a hospital complex, a care, centre, a hotel zone, an urban centre and a thermal spa with villas and apartments. The university will include a medical school and a school for care male nurses which will be able to accommodate 500 students. The university campus will have the possibility of seeing setting up broad ranges of buildings of research laboratories and residences.







Ministry of Finance of Algeria










Another project relates to technological implantation of a campus in Sidi Abdellah, 25 km (16 mi) south-east from Algiers. This 90 hectares (222 acres) site will include shopping centres, residential zones with high standard apartments and a golf course surrounded by villas and hotels. Two other residential zones, including 1.800 apartments and 40 high standard villas, will be built on the surrounding hills.
The fifth project is that of the tourist complex Colonel Abbès, which will be located 25 km (16 mi) west from Algiers. This complex will include several retail zones, meeting places, and residential zones composed of apartments and villas with views of the sea.[citation needed]
A Hewlett Packard office for French-speaking countries in Africa is in Algiers.





Tourist installations












 Panorama of the city as seen from Bologhine district





Some 20 km (12 mi) to the west of Algiers are such seaside resorts as Sidi Fredj (ex-Sidi Ferruch), Palm Beach, Douaouda, Zéralda, and the Club of the Pines (residence of State); there are tourist complexes, Algerian and other restaurants, souvenir shops, supervised beaches, and other amenities. The city is also equipped with important hotel complexes such as the hotel Hilton, El-Aurassi or El Djazair. Algiers also has the first water park in the country. The tourism of Algiers is growing but is not as developed as that of the larger cities in Morocco or Tunisia.





Public transport


ETUSA (urban and suburban bus transportation for Algiers) operates bus service in Algiers and the surrounding suburbs. 54 lines are currently operating, with service from 5:30 a.m. to 12:45 a.m.













Public transport of Algiers



  •  SNTF (national railroad company) operates commuter-rail lines connecting the capital to the surrounding suburbs.



  •  Algiers Metro, opened November 1, 2011.



  •  Algiers tramway, opened on May 8, 2011.



  •  Houari Boumediene Airport is located 20 km (12 mi) from the city. The airport serves domestics, many European cities, West Africa, the Middle East, Asia and North America. On July 5, 2006, a new international air terminal was opened for service. The terminal is managed by Aéroports de Paris.



  • 4 urban ropeways:



  •  El Madania – Belouizdad



  •  Notre Dame d’Afrique – Bologhine



  •  Memorial des Martyres/Riad el Feth – Jardin d’essais



  •  Palais de la culture – Oued Kniss






Province projects


Several ongoing projects aim to solve Algiers deficit and transportation problems. A tram connecting the downtown area to Dergana is expected to open by the end of 2010.[22] Subway lines connecting Tafourah-Large Harrach Post office-El were expected in 2008, in addition to three Regional Express Network (RER) lines: Algiers-Aga-Thenia, Algiers-Aga-Elafroun, Algiers-Aga-Zeralda. Three new cable cars, reconstruction of roads and restoration of the city station—which will accommodate the High-speed rail line connecting Annaba, Algiers and Oran—are also ongoing. Congestion control measures including new roundabouts and motorways are also being added to the city.
New residential developments aim to solve Algiers current housing shortage.





Sports


Algiers is the sporting centre of Algeria. The city has a number of professional clubs in the variety of sports, which have won national and international titles. Among the sports facilities within the city, there is an enormous sporting complex – Complex of OCO – Mohamed Boudiaf. This includes the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 (capacity 80,000), a venue for athletics, an Olympic swimming pool, a multisports room (the Cupola), an 18-hole golf course, and several tennis courts.
The following major sporting events have been held in Algiers (not-exhaustive list):


  •  Mediterranean Games 1975.

  •  All-Africa Games 1978, 2007.

  •  African Cup of Nations 1990.

  •  African Handball Nations Championship 1989, 2001.

  •  Pan Arab Games 2004.

  •  FIBA Africa Championship 2005.

  •  Men's U19 World Championship 2005.

  • Football clubs

  • Major association football club based in Algiers include:

  •  MC Alger

  •  USM Alger

  •  CR Belouizdad

  •  NA Hussein Dey

  •  Paradou AC

  •  USM El Harrach

  •  RC Kouba

  •  OMR El Annasser

  •  JH Djazaïr (now defunct)






Films about Algiers


  • Algiers, 1938, directed by John Cromwell;



  • The Battle of Algiers, 1966, directed by Gillo Pontecorvo;



  • Tahya ya Didou, Alger Insolite, 1970, Mohammed Zinet;



  • Bab El-Oued City, 1994, directed by Merzak Allouache;



  • Viva Laldjérie, 2003, directed by Nadir Moknèche, with Biyouna and Lubna Azabal;



  • Bab el Web, 2004, directed by Merzak Allouache, with Samy Naceri, Julie Gayet, Faudel;



  • Once upon a time in the Oued, 2005, directed by Djamel Bensalah;



  • Beur, White, Red, 2005, directed by Mahmoud Zemmouri.



  • Delice Paloma, 2007, directed by Nadir Moknèche, with Biyouna and Nadia Kaci.