Journals Information
Civil Engineering and Architecture Vol. 9(6), pp. 1996 - 2010
DOI: 10.13189/cea.2021.090628
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The Tlemcen (NW-Algeria): Urban Colonial Heritage as a Tourist Attraction
Nabil Kari 1, Joan Curos Vila 2,*, Cherif Bemmoussa Wissem 3
1 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Hassiba Benbouali University of Chlef, N19, Ouled Fares Chlef 02180, Algeria
2 Department of architectural design, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Av. Diagonal, 649 (08028 BARCELONA), Spain
3 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Civil Engineering, University of Science and Technology of Oran -Mohamed Boudiaf-, El Mnaouar BP 1505, Bir El Djir 31000, Oran, Algeria
ABSTRACT
This paper discusses the importance of urban colonial heritage aspects identification in the promotion of tourism in the case of the old city of Tlemcen. The latter was one of the Algerian traditional Arab-Muslim cities occupied during the 19th century by the French colonial armies. According to their "supposedly" civilizing project, the French G茅nie Militaire has remodeled the city's traditional fabric to modernize and transform the colonial territories. So, amongst other cases of historic Algerian towns, and after the installation of the European community, the old city of Tlemcen began gradually to forge a new identity, which was resulted from profound transformations that affected its socio-spatial structure. The city of Tlemcen experienced, during this period, the introduction of new urban principles. The French colonial authority aimed to transform the city of Tlemcen to meet the 19th European community's requirements. The European cities' architecture and urbanism were, therefore, seen as models that symbolize modernity. In a relatively short period, the Tlemcen ancient city was changed from a city with old Arab-Muslim cities' urbanism to a town with modern European urbanism. The impressive urban dynamic was engaged at that time to make the city more modern and less introverted. Today, apart from the Tlemcen's Medina remains, we cannot ignore the richness of the built colonial heritage in the Tlemcen old city center and that it constitutes a valuable tourism resource. Thus, the aspects of these built heritage attractions need to be identified for the community to be preserved and valorized to promote tourism in this historical place. The paper is thus aiming at identifying urban colonial heritage and understanding how crucial it is to take them into account in the process of tourism promotion in the case of Tlemcen's old city center. Based on documentary research and a qualitative approach achieved through walking inquiries, informal discussions with local community representatives, visitors, professionals and institutional actors, the reconnaissance work has brought out the main elements of the built colonial heritage and the urban planning characterizing the long period of colonial presence in Tlemcen, which are considered to have aesthetical and testimonial values and can therefore be seen as an asset for the Tlemcen city tourism enhancement.
KEYWORDS
Urban Colonial Heritage, Tlemcen City Center, French Colonization, Heritage Identification, Tourism Development, Historic Cities, Urban Design, Architecture, Colonial Urbanism
Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Nabil Kari , Joan Curos Vila , Cherif Bemmoussa Wissem , "The Tlemcen (NW-Algeria): Urban Colonial Heritage as a Tourist Attraction," Civil Engineering and Architecture, Vol. 9, No. 6, pp. 1996 - 2010, 2021. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2021.090628.
(b). APA Format:
Nabil Kari , Joan Curos Vila , Cherif Bemmoussa Wissem (2021). The Tlemcen (NW-Algeria): Urban Colonial Heritage as a Tourist Attraction. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 9(6), 1996 - 2010. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2021.090628.