The most beautiful areas in Constantine

The most beautiful areas in Constantine

Constantine (in French: nstantine), is an Algerian city and its third largest city after both Algiers and Oran. It is called the city of hanging bridges and is the capital of the Algerian East. It is considered one of the largest cities in Algeria in terms of numbers. Above it is the city and its Numidian name Sirta, Umm al-Hadir, given that Constantine is one of the oldest cities in the world and has had several civilizations successively over it. The ancient city is distinguished for being built on a rock of hard limestone, which gave it a unique view.

Constantine, is an important city in the history of the Mediterranean, where it was ancient Cirta, the capital of Numidia from 300 BC to 46 BC. Then it came under Roman control after that. It got its current name since 313 in honor of Emperor Constantine the Great.

To cross from one bank to the other, several bridges were built throughout the ages, so Constantine became home to more than 8 bridges, some of which were destroyed due to lack of restoration, and some of them are still struggling with time, so Constantine was called the City of Hanging Bridges. The Sand Valley passes over the ancient city of Constantine and is surmounted by bridges at heights of more than 200 metres.

The city of Constantine organized the Capital of Arab Culture 2015. It started in April 2015 and concluded on April 16, 2016. The city was known for organizing several festivals and interactions by the participating Arab delegations, most of which were organized in the new architectural masterpiece Ahmed Bey Hall (Zenit Constantine.

The city of Constantine is located in the center of eastern Algeria, about 400 kilometers from Algiers.

The city sits on a terrain that has a very rugged topography, and is characterized by an interpenetration of plateaus, hills, dips and cliff collapses, giving a heterogeneous site.

The city extends on a rocky plateau at an altitude of 649 m, isolated from the surrounding areas by deep gorges where the valley of sand flows, which isolates it. From the east and north, Jabal al-Wahsh and Jabal Sidi M’sid dominate at an altitude of 300 m. From the west, we find the Hamma basin. The choice of this site is primarily a matter of defensive strategy. In the surrounding area, the region has fertile lands.

the weather
The region is characterized by a continental climate, with temperatures ranging from hot to moderate summers, to cold winters, with occasional snowfall.

There are several landmarks and monuments in Constantine, the most important of which are:

Prehistoric tombs:
The tombs of the city of Sirta varied according to the periods, so each period had its own tombs, structures and monuments. Cemeteries before the appearance of the Phoenicians were tunnels of bears, and when the Phoenicians appeared and established, they became in (Kedet Al-Ati), which today occupies its place (Saint Jean), (Old Kediya) and (Flory Road). In the Roman era, and with the establishment of the Bab El Qantara bridge during the time of Emperor Antonin, it turned into a suburb of Mount Sidi M’sid, until the end of Kaf Al-Rih. At the time of the Islamic conquest, Kediyat al-Ati returned as a cradle until the French presence, which divided it into two parts. The upper section, starting from (Tunis Approach) to the slopes of the slopes of the western Kedia, was reserved for the people, and the lower part of it was reserved for the centenarians. As for the cemeteries of the Jewish community, it was in the eastern slope of Mount Sidi M’sid, near the (University Hospital). For those who fell in the First World War.

As for the graves discovered in the “Tunnels of the Bears”, they were from prehistoric times, which were discovered in the “Bakira” district, and they belong to a village that was there for the people who were inhabited only by them, and they are workers and subject to the service of the land. Qashqash, and Kaf Tasinga in Banwara, all of which date back to prehistoric times.

The megalithic cemetery of Bonouara: 32 km from Constantine, on the national road No. 20 leading towards Valma. The megalithic cemetery of Bonouara is located on the southwestern slopes of Mount Mazala, 2 km north of the village of Bonouara.
These dolmens consist of cohesive limestone layers dating back to the prehistoric era, and it seems that a large number of them have been damaged and disappeared.

It is noteworthy that the general model of these historical monuments is in the form of a table consisting of four vertical blocks of rock and a table, forming in turn a triangular room. Usually the dolman is surrounded by a circle of one stone, and sometimes of two, three or four circles, and the ancient inhabitants of the region were They use it to bury their dead in this fortified way, which seems to have continued until the third century BC.

Bears Cave: It is 60 meters long and is located in the northern rock of Constantine.
Al-Arwa Cave: It is located near the Cave of the Bears, and its length is 6 m. Both caves are considered stations for archaeological industries dating back to the prehistoric period.
Masinissa and the mausoleum in El-Kharroub: 16 km southeast of Constantine is the mausoleum of Masinissa, which is a square tower, built in the form of terraces with three rows of stones, carved in a manner inspired by the Greco-Punic style. This mausoleum was attributed to Masinissa, who was born in the year 238 BC. He died in the year 148 BC. He protected this region for 60 years and is credited with establishing the Numidian state. He also contributed to the promotion of urbanization and the development of agriculture in the region and established a strong army.