Bordj Menaïel (from the
Arabic
Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
برج - bordj, "tower" and
Berber
Berber or Berbers may refer to:
Ethnic group
* Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa
* Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages
Places
* Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile
People with the surname
* Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
''imnayen'' "cavaliers") is a town in the
Boumerdès Province
Boumerdès (, Kabyle language, Kabyle: Tanebḍit n Bumerdas) is a provinces of Algeria, province (''wilaya'') of northern Algeria, located in the Kabylia region, between Algiers and Tizi-Ouzou, with its capital at the coastal city of Boumerdès ...
in
Algeria
Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
. It is located in the western
Kabylie
Kabylia or Kabylie (; in Kabyle language, Kabyle: Tamurt n leqbayel; in Tifinagh: ⵜⴰⵎⵓⵔⵜ ⵏ ⵍⴻⵇⴱⴰⵢⴻⵍ; ), meaning "Land of the Tribes" is a mountainous coastal region in northern Algeria and the homeland of the Kaby ...
region at and is 30 km away from the city of
Boumerdès
Boumerdès (; ; formerly ''Rocher Noir'') is the capital city of Boumerdès Province, Algeria. It is located on the Mediterranean Sea. It had a population of 15,000 in 1987 and 28,500 in 1998.
Boumerdès is a seaside city located in the north o ...
. As of 2008, the population of the municipality is 64,820.
Presentation
Bordj Menaïel was founded by the
Ottoman government of Algeria, most likely in the 16th century, to guard a route between
Algiers
Algiers is the capital city of Algeria as well as the capital of the Algiers Province; it extends over many Communes of Algeria, communes without having its own separate governing body. With 2,988,145 residents in 2008Census 14 April 2008: Offi ...
and
Constantine and to secure control of the
Isser plain. In the 18th century, its military role was superseded by the foundation of
Bordj Sebaou further west, but it remained the residence of the Ottoman
wakil administering the surrounding farmland.
The
French conquest reached the fort of Bordj Menaïel in 1844, when General
Bugeaud took it. Afterwards, it initially became the residence of the
aghas of the
Iflissen Umellil. In 1859, a French colony was created there by imperial decree, using 1718 hectares. It was enlarged through land expropriation in 1872 by Admiral
de Gueydon, in the wake of the
Mokrani Revolt
The Mokrani Revolt (; ) was the most important local uprising against France in Algeria since the French conquest of Algeria, conquest in 1830.
The revolt broke out on March 16, 1871, with the uprising of more than 250 tribes, around a third of ...
.
History
French conquest
*
Expedition of the Col des Beni Aïcha (1837)
*
First Battle of the Issers (1837)
Algerian Revolution
Salafist terrorism
*
2008 Zemmouri bombing (9 August 2008)
*
2010 Bordj Menaïel bombing (21 September 2010)
Transport
The road RN 12 runs through Bordj Menaïel, linking it with
Isser to the west and
Naciria to the east.
Sports
Algeria goalkeeper
Faouzi Chaouchi was born in Bordj Menaiel. The local football team is
JS Bordj Ménaïel.
Notable people
*
Farouk Belkaïd, footballer
*
Bachir Boudjelid, footballer
*
Faouzi Chaouchi, footballer
*
Zinedine Ferhat, footballer
*
Omar Fetmouche, artist
*
Hocine Mezali, journalist and writer
*
Mustapha Toumi, songwriter, lyricist, composer, poet and painter
*
Fatma Zohra Zamoum, writer and film-maker
References
* Charles-Claude Bernard, 1877. ''Notice topographique et médicale sur le plaine d'Isser''. Blida: A. Mauguin.
* Kouider Djouab, 2017.
Bordj-Menaïel, une ville, une histoire : La Ville des coquelicots'. Saint Denis: Edilivre.
Notes
Communes of Boumerdès Province
{{Boumerdès-geo-stub