Overview
Tlemcen is Algeria’s great repository of Andalusian civilisation — the culture carried across the strait from Muslim Spain. Set in the green north-west near the Moroccan border, it is often called the Pearl of the Maghreb.
Heritage
The 12th-century Great Mosque of Tlemcen is a masterpiece of Almoravid art; nearby stand the haunting ruins of Mansourah and the Sidi Boumediene complex, a jewel of Hispano-Moorish decoration. The city remains a guardian of classical Andalusian music.
What to see
- The Great Mosque and the old medina
- Mansourah minaret and walls
- Sidi Boumediene mosque, tomb and madrasa
- The El Mechouar palace-citadel
How to reach
Tlemcen has an airport and good links from Oran (around 1.5 hours) and the wider west.
