Tlemcen

Algeria, Algeria

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Tlemcen is the second-largest city in northwestern Algeria after Oran and the capital of Tlemcen Province, located near the Moroccan border at the foot of the Tlemcen Mountains and overlooking the fertile Hennaya and Maghnia plains.

Founded by the Romans in the 4th century as Pomaria (“Orchards”) for its abundant gardens, it was later renamed by the Berbers and became the capital of the powerful ʿAbd al‑Wādid (Ziyyanid) kingdom from the 13th to the 15th century, flourishing as a major center of Islam, learning, culture, and trans-Saharan trade that linked African gold with European markets.

Known as “the Pearl of the Maghreb,” “the African Granada,” and the capital of Andalusian art in Algeria, the city holds about three-quarters of Algeria’s Islamic architectural heritage, including stunning 13th‑century mosques such as the Great Mosque of Tlemcen and the El Mansouriya Mosque, ornate riads, madrasas and gardens that reflect Arab, Berber, Andalusian and Ottoman influences.

Its temperate mountain climate makes it a popular retreat from summer heat, while its economy thrives on leather, carpet and textile industries, exporting through the nearby port of Rachgoun, and its surrounding region is famous for vineyards and olive plantations.