Algeria: Oran – Old City
Oran has been inhabited since prehistoric times, with evidence of human presence going back thousands of years. The city was founded by Andalusian traders in the 10th century and has since been influenced by various civilizations, including the Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans. Oran was occupied by the Spanish in the early 16th century and later by the Ottomans. In 1831, it was captured by the French and remained under French control until Algeria gained independence in 1962. The colonial period significantly shaped Oran’s architecture and cultural landscape. The old center of Oran looks like a French city that had a nuke go off followed by plague and perhaps an earthquake or two – all buildings are semi-fallen apart and disheveled, many in a state of total abandonment and disrepair. The central square has a French-built formerly grand mairie building, an obelisk, and a theater, as well as several picturesque ornate buildings. To the west from square – it’s a jumble of ruined buildings, old mosques, and general lack of attractions. Most of the ruins are actually a result of neglect and not earthquakes or wars.
