El Kantara ( ar, القنطرة, al qantara, the bridge
) is a town and commune in
Biskra Province
Biskra ( ar, ولاية بسكرة) is a province (''wilaya'') of Algeria. The capital city is Biskra. Tolga is one of the famous ''daïras'' of this wilaya. Other localities include Lichoua, Sidi Okba, Sidi Khaled, El-Kantara and Ouled Djell ...
,
Algeria
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. The 1911
Baedeker
Verlag Karl Baedeker, founded by Karl Baedeker on July 1, 1827, is a German publisher and pioneer in the business of worldwide travel guides. The guides, often referred to simply as " Baedekers" (a term sometimes used to refer to similar works fro ...
travel guide described it as "one of the most important caravan-stations in E. Algeria." The town is well known for the eponymous
gorge nearby, described by locals as the "Mouth of the Desert".
The area was named El Kantara by Arab conquerors.
The gorge is narrow, at only wide, but the walls can be as high as .
History
Roman soldiers of the
Third Augustan Legion dubbed the gorge ''Calceus Herculis'' (English: Hercules' Kick), in reference to the
divine
Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.[divine< ...](_blank)
hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ''actor''), ''her ...
Hercules
Hercules (, ) is the Roman equivalent of the Greek divine hero Heracles, son of Jupiter and the mortal Alcmena. In classical mythology, Hercules is famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Romans adapted the ...
' legendary strength.
They also constructed an arched bridge over the river in the bottom of the gorge, in order to allow caravans and military supplies to pass through the town with ease.
In the
second century A.D., the town and bridge were guarded by
Syrian archers
Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In mo ...
who are thought to have planted the first
date palm grove in the region.
Present infrastructure
A highway and railroad follow the same path as the ancient
Roman road through the town.
Notable people
*
Saïd Chengriha, senior military leader
Gallery
File:Le Pont romain.jpg, above the Roman bridge in Katara Gorge
File:Pont Romain El Kantara (Biskra).jpg, below the bridge
Image:El Kantara gorges 1899.jpg, El Kantara
File:El Kantara Biskra Algerie.JPG
References
External Links
Images of El-Kantara(including bridge and mosque) in Manar al-Athar digital heritage photo archive resource
Les grandes Familles d'origine Arabe d'El Kantara sont : ABDELAZIZE, BELLAL, HOUFANI, KHIREDDINE, SAADLAOUD, SOURI, YOUB et ZEROUG.
Le reste des familles sont d'origine Berbère.
Communes of Biskra Province
Biskra Province
{{Biskra-geo-stub