Batna ( ar, باتنة, Latn, ar, Bātnah) is the main city and
commune
A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to:
Administrative-territorial entities
* Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township
** Communes of ...
of
Batna Province
Batna Province ( ar, ولاية باتنة, Latn, ar, Wilāyat Bātnah) is a province of Algeria, in the region of Aurès. The capital is Batna. Localities in this province include N'Gaous, Merouana and Timgad. Belezma National Park is in the ...
,
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
. With a population of 290,645 (2008 census)
it is the fifth largest city in Algeria. It is also one of the principal cities of the
Chaoui
The Chaoui people or ''Shawia'' ( arq, الشاوية, shy, Išawiyen) are an Amazigh (Berber) ethnic group to the Aurès region in northeastern Algeria which spans Batna and Khenchla, Oum El Bouaghi provinces located in and surrounded by t ...
area and is considered the capital of
Aurès
, native_name_lang =
, settlement_type = Natural region
, image_skyline = Ras el Aïoun.jpg
, image_alt =
, image_caption = Landscape of the Aurès in Ras el Aïoun
, image_flag ...
.
History
The first solid foundations (a military encampment) of the city were erected by a French garrison in 1844, with a strategic mission to create a permanently guarded access point for the main Sahara road.
Batna's geographical location offers a natural break through the
Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range in the Maghreb in North Africa. It separates the Sahara Desert from the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; the name "Atlantic" is derived from the mountain range. It stretches around through Moroc ...
. The Romans did not detect this passage in their early invasion phase.
The ancient cities of
Timgad
Timgad ( ar, تيمقاد, links=, lit=, translit=Tīmgād, known as Marciana Traiana Thamugadi) was a Roman city in the Aurès Mountains of Algeria. It was founded by the Roman Emperor Trajan around 100 AD. The full name of the city was ''Colon ...
and
Lambese
Lambaesis (Lambæsis), Lambaisis or Lambaesa (''Lambèse'' in colonial French), is a Roman archaeological site in Algeria, southeast of Batna and west of Timgad, located next to the modern village of Tazoult. The former bishopric is also a La ...
, built around the first century CE, are living examples of the importance that the Romans gave to commercial control over the region.
Signature and proclamation of the Algerian revolution Batna
![Martyrs' Square Batna 22](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/Martyrs%27_Square_Batna_22.jpg)
The inhabitants of the city revolted against the French authorities at the beginning of colonization. Thereafter they organized the Algerian revolution against French colonialism.
The first Batneens adhered to
Messali Hadj
Ahmed Ben Messali Hadj (May 16, 1898 - June 3, 1974), commonly known as Messali Hadj, ar, مصالي الحاج, was an Algerian nationalist politician dedicated to the independence of his homeland from French colonial rule. He is often called ...
(PPP), as did the Ulemas
Ben Badis and the Movement for the Triumph of Democratic Freedoms (MTLD), and together they organized the great historic summit of 22, June 25, 1954.
The Algerian revolution started at Batna under the chairmanship of Batnéen
Mustapha Benboulaïd
Mustafa ( ar, مصطفى
, Muṣṭafā) is one of the names of Prophet Muhammad, and the name means "chosen, selected, appointed, preferred", used as an Arabic given name and surname. Mustafa is a common name in the Muslim world.
Given name Mo ...
(FLN). Batna was the first military region of Algeria (zone 1) (1954–1962).
On the night of November 1, 1954, the barracks of the city of Batna were attacked by the mujahedeen.
Batna was the command headquarters of the Algerian revolution until independence.
Bombing
On September 6, 2007, Batna saw a massive
Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda (; , ) is an Islamic extremism, Islamic extremist organization composed of Salafist jihadists. Its members are mostly composed of Arab, Arabs, but also include other peoples. Al-Qaeda has mounted attacks on civilian and military ta ...
suicide bombing. The bombing, which took place shortly before the visit of Algerian President
Abdelaziz Bouteflika
Abdelaziz Bouteflika (; ar, عبد العزيز بوتفليقة, ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Būtaflīqa ; 2 March 1937 – 17 September 2021) was an Algerian politician and diplomat who served as President of Algeria from 1999 to his resignation in 2019 ...
, resulted in approximately 15–20
["Suicide Bombing In Algeria Kills 15"]
AHN News retrieved September 10, 2007["16 killed in Algeria bombing attack"]
Excite News retrieved September 10, 2007 deaths and 107["Suicide bomb kills 20 in Algeria"]
BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadca ...
retrieved September 10, 2007 injuries as the bomber detonated his device among a crowd waiting to see the President,["Suicide Bombing Kills 15 in Algeria"]
VOA News retrieved September 10, 2007 who was at the end of a three-day tour of eastern Algeria.
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera ( ar, الجزيرة, translit-std=DIN, translit=al-jazīrah, , "The Island") is a state-owned Arabic-language international radio and TV broadcaster of Qatar. It is based in Doha and operated by the media conglomerate Al Jazeera ...
retrieved September 10, 2007 The bombings were condemned by the UN Security Council
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international peace and security, recommending the admission of new UN members to the General Assembly, and ...
.
Historical population
Climate
Located in the Aurès Mountains
The Aures Mountains ( ar, جبال الأوراس) are an eastern prolongation of the Atlas Mountain System that lies to the east of the Saharan Atlas in northeastern Algeria and northwestern Tunisia, North Africa. The mountain range gives its nam ...
(part of the Atlas Mountains
The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range in the Maghreb in North Africa. It separates the Sahara Desert from the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; the name "Atlantic" is derived from the mountain range. It stretches around through Moroc ...
), at above sea level, Batna has a cold semi-arid climate
A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi-ar ...
(Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''BSk'') with Mediterranean
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...
influences and an average annual precipitation of . Summers are moderately hot (by Saharan standards) and dry and winters are chilly and wetter, with the possibility of snow
Snow comprises individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes.
It consists of frozen crystalline water throughout ...
fall.
Entertainment
Many entertainment resorts are spread across the town. Regarding sports activities the most important destinations are the 1st November Stadium (Stade du premier Novembre), and Seffouhi Stadium, which is used mainly for soccer clubs and festivals (CAB & MSPB are the biggest teams in the city), in addition to the Scholar Stadium. For cultural activities there is the , and also a municipal Cultural House, which is located behind the Prefecture and covers many cultural and educational activities, in addition to the Islamic Cultural Center in the heart of the city and the Youth House in Cite Ennaser
A citation is a reference to a source. More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated alphanumeric expression embedded in the body of an intellectual work that denotes an entry in the bibliographic references section of the work for the purpose of ...
. For children, an attraction park is located in Kechida, which is approximately a ten-minute drive from the downtown area.
Dining and nightlife
With regard to night life, due to some religious and cultural limitations, there are almost no night clubs in the city. However, the existing nightlife is concentrated in the heart of the city, around ''Les allées Benboulaïd'' and "STAND" areas, especially during summer break. Downtown Batna has plenty of cafés, traditional restaurants ( Chouwaya) or GARGOUTTIER, Pizzerias, French and oriental bakeries, and a limited number of luxury restaurants. Many festivities take place in ''allées Ben Boulaïd'' area, mainly in the season of International Timgad Festival (usually between 4–15 July every year). The most attractive exciting places surrounding the city are, Lambese (also called Lambaesis
Lambaesis (Lambæsis), Lambaisis or Lambaesa (''Lambèse'' in colonial French), is a Roman archaeological site in Algeria, southeast of Batna and west of Timgad, located next to the modern village of Tazoult. The former bishopric is also a La ...
), Timgad
Timgad ( ar, تيمقاد, links=, lit=, translit=Tīmgād, known as Marciana Traiana Thamugadi) was a Roman city in the Aurès Mountains of Algeria. It was founded by the Roman Emperor Trajan around 100 AD. The full name of the city was ''Colon ...
, Ghoufi
Ghoufi, also known as the Rhoufi, Balconies of Ghoufi and Ghoufi Canyon, is a historic settlement in the village of T'kout in Batna Province, Algeria. These ruins are located in the Aures Mountains and Abiod Valley. The Balconies of Ghoufi overl ...
, Chelaalaa, and Belezma National Park
The Belezma National Park (Arabic:الحظيرة الوطنية بلزمة) is one of the most important national parks of Algeria. It is located in Batna Province on the slopes of the Belezma Range, a subrange of the Aurès Mountains.
Descrip ...
.
Administration
Districts and urban areas of the city
;Town center
;Le Quartier du Stand
;Bouzourane
;Cité 20 Août
;Hai An Nasr
;Cité 84 Log.
;Cité Chikhi
;Cité 800 Log.
;Cité 500 Log.
;Cité 1020 Log.
;Kechida
;Erriadh
;Moudjahidines
;Cité 1272 Log.
;La SAE
;Tamechit
;Sonatiba
;Cité Chouhada
;Kemmouni
;El Boustane
;Bouakal
;Z'Mala
;Douar Eddis
;Ezzohour
;Cité Lombarakia
;Parc à fourrage
;Cité Zemmouri
;Cité Salsabil
;Cité Bouarif
;Route de Tazoult
;La Zone Militaire
;La Zone Industrielle Batna
Notable residents
* Ali Benflis
Ali Benflis ( ar, على بن فليس ; born 8 September 1944) is an Algerian politician who was Head of Government of Algeria from 2000 to 2004. In 2003, he became the general secretary of the National Liberation Front party. Benflis was a ca ...
, Former Head of Government of Algeria
* Houria Aïchi
Houria Aïchi (born in Batna) is an Algerian Berber singer of chaoui music. Aïchi sings songs that she learnt in her childhood, accompanied by bendir.
Biography
Born in Aurès, Houria Aïchi went to study psychology in Paris in the 1970s ...
, musician
* Rachid Mouffouk
Rachid Mouffouk (born 29 January 1955]) is an Algerian sculptor.
Early life and background
Rachid was born the 29 January 1955 in Batna, Algeria, Batna with his twin brother. Being very small and physically weak, his family believed that he wo ...
, sculptor
* Liamine Zéroual
Liamine Zéroual ( ar, اليمين زروال ALA-LC: ''al-Yamīn Zarwāl''; Berber: Lyamin Ẓerwal; born 3 July 1941) is an Algerian politician who was the sixth President of Algeria from 31 January 1994 to 27 April 1999.
Biography
He was bor ...
, sixth President of Algeria
References
External links
Travel Batna
{{Authority control
Populated places established in 1844
Communes of Batna Province
Chaoui people
Province seats of Algeria