Oran (Arabic:وَهران,romanized: Wahrān)[a] is a major coastal city located in the northwest ofAlgeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria, after the capital,Algiers, because of its population and commercial, industrial and cultural importance. It is 432 km (268 mi) west-southwest from Algiers. The total population of the city was 803,329 in 2008,[7] while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000,[8] making it the second-largest city in Algeria.[9]
ABarbary lion, from which Oran takes its name, identified by its longmane
The wordWahran comes from the Berber expressionwa - iharan (place of lions).[10] A locally popular legend tells that in the period around AD 900, there were sightings ofBarbary lions in the area. The last two lions were killed on a mountain near Oran, and it became known asla montagne des lions ("The Mountain of Lions").[11] Two giant lion statues stand in front of Oran's city hall, symbolizing the city.
Present-day Oran was founded in 903 by theAzdadja [fr] and AjissaBerbers of theMaghrawa confederation who lived in the area.[15] The city enjoyed a period of prosperity under theAlmohad CaliphAbd al-Mu'min for a lengthy period of time when he built thirty vessels to connect it with Andalusia.[15] It endured a long, prosperous reign under the zayyanid of Tlemcen and used its ports as a key outlet to Spain in particular.[16] It was captured by theCastilians underCardinal Cisneros in 1509, and Spanish sovereignty lasted until 1708 when the city was conquered by theAlgerians during theSiege of Oran (1707–1708). Spain recaptured the city in 1732. However, its value as a trading post had decreased greatly, so during the reign of KingCharles IV the city wasrecaptured in 1790–1792 by a coalition of Algerian troops against Spain which resulted in victory for the bey of Oran despite the many attempts in 1563. The beylik lasted until 1831 when the city fell to theFrench.[17]
UnderFrench rule during the 19th and 20th centuries, Oran was the capital of theDépartement of Oran (number 92). In July 1940, theBritish navyshelled French warships in the port after they refused a British ultimatum to surrender; this action was taken to ensure the fleet would not fall into German hands, as theNazis had defeated France and occupied Paris. The action increased the hatred of the Vichy regime forBritain but convinced the world that the British would fight alone againstNazi Germany and its allies. TheVichy government held Oran duringWorld War II until its capture by theAllies in late 1942, duringOperation Torch.[18]
Also, during French rule, Jews were encouraged to modernize and take on jobs they had not before, including agriculture, while Muslims were forced out of the city and their ancestral fertile lands were confiscated and given to Colons.[19] Jews in the city were allowed to join the French Army starting 24 October 1870, while Muslims were forced to domilitary service. Algerian Jews were granted citizenship while Algerian Muslims were not. Jews would soon be targeted after the war for not supporting the struggle for independence against France.[20]
Before theAlgerian War of 1954–1962, Oran had one of the highest proportions of Europeans of any city in North Africa. In July 1962, after a ceasefire and accords with France, theFLN entered Oran and were shot at by Europeans. A mob attackedpied-noir neighborhoods in response to the incident and during the subsequentOran massacre of 1962 at least 95 and as many as 365 were killed;[21] many others are reported to have "disappeared".[22] This triggered a larger exodus of Europeans to France, which was already underway. In 1962, most of the Europeans andAlgerian Jews living in Oran were repatriated to France..[20]
With its location as the closest port toSpain and its prominence on the Mediterranean, Jewish refugees first immigrated to Oran to fleepersecution and conversion to Christianity in Spain in 1391. This refuge brought other religious refugees that included both Jews again and Muslims in both 1492 and 1502.[23]
Presence ofAlmoravids in 1082. In 1145,Tashfin ibn Ali perished in the outskirts of Oran while trying to flee the besiegingAlmohad troops, who had already capturedTlemcen.
1145
1238
Presence ofAlmohads. 1147 marked the beginning of a period of persecution of Oran's Jews.
1238
1509
Presence of theZianides ofTlemcen. The Oranians grew rich from protection by the Emir, the customs system (tariffs), trade withMarseille, and theItalian Maritime Republics ofGenoa andVenice, with whom, in 1250, Oran signed a commercial treaty for 40 years. Toward the end of the 14th century, celebrated Arab historianIbn Khaldoun wrote, "Oran is superior to all other cities by its trade. It's a paradise for the unhappy one. Those who arrive poor in its walls, will leave it again rich." The city excelled in the export of lead, wool, skins, fine burnous, carpets, haïks, cumin, nuts and galls.
Before the Spaniards, the Portuguese launched a failed expedition to capture the city in July 1501. Four years later, the Spanish tookMers-el-Kébir, located just six kilometres (four miles) west of Oran. Thus began the first organized incursions against the city which, at the time, numbered 25,000 inhabitants and counted 6,000fueros. CountPedro Navarro, on the orders of CardinalFrancisco Jiménez de Cisneros, finallycaptured the city on 17 May 1509. The occupying forcesset fire to the books and archives of the town.[24]
By 1554, the Turks had reached Algiers. The governor of Oran,Count Alcaudete, allied himself with Moroccan SultanMohammed ash-Sheikh against them. Nine years later, in 1563,Álvaro de Bazán, Marquis de Santa Cruz, built thefort of Santa-Cruz, strategically placed at the top of a mountain, l'Aïdour, more than 300 m (1,000 ft) above the sea, directly to the west of the city. Pedro Garcerán de Borja, Grand Master of theOrder of Montesa, was captain of Oran when, on 14 July 1568,John of Austria (the illegitimate son ofCharles I and paternal half-brother of KingPhilip II), led aflotilla of 33 galleys against the Algerians.
A two-part map showing the port of Oran in the 18th century, by German map publisherMatthäus Seutter
The Spanish rebuiltSanta Cruz Fort to accommodate their city governors. "The fortifications of the place were composed of thick and continuous walls of over two and a half km in circumference, surmounted by strong towers spaced between them," with a central castle orkasbah where the Spanish governor had his headquarters.[citation needed] Under Spanish rule, the city continued to grow, requiring enlargement of the city walls. In spite of the improved fortifications, the city was the object of repeated attacks. Notable in this regard, Moroccan SharifMoulay Ismail tried to force his way past the defences in 1707, only to see his army decimated. In 1739, trade with the surroundings was forbidden for years due to the plague. In 1744, kingPhilip V asked the governor Tomás du Rollet de la tour for dromedaries to replenish the stock at theRoyal Palace of Aranjuez. However, the formerbey of Oran had banned trade with the Spaniards and those dromedaries gradually sent to the king had been sold by thieving tribesmen. Most of the maintenance of the place was paid by thebull of the Crusade, a contribution of the Spanish Catholic church.[26]
In the night after 8 October 1790,a violent earthquake claimed more than 3,000 victims in less than seven minutes.Charles IV saw no advantage in continuing the occupation of the city, which had become increasingly expensive and perilous. He initiated discussions with theDey of Algiers.
After another earthquake damaged the Spanish defences, the forces of the new Bey of Oran,Mohammed el Kebir besieged the city. By the end of 1790, there was a clear Algerian advantage.[31] The Spanish, not wanting to risk their troops, signed an agreement with the Algerians on 12 September in Algiers, and on 12 December inMadrid, which recognized Algerian control over the city.[28] By February all Spanish troops evacuated. The capital was moved there the same year. In 1792, the Bey settled a Jewish community there. In 1796, thePasha Mosque (in honour ofHassan Pasha,Beylerbey ofAlgiers) was built by the Bey with ransom money paid for the release of Spanish prisoners after Spain's final departure.
Oran from steps of City Hall, 1894Fantasia in Oran, 1880Oran'scity hall, dating from the French period
The town of 10,000 inhabitants was still in the possession of theOttoman Empire when a squadron under the command of captain Bourmand seized el-Kébir on 14 December 1830. The city was in a wretched state. On 4 January 1831, the French commanded by GeneralDamrémont occupied Oran. In September 1831,General Berthezène appointed Mr. Pujol asmayor of Oran; he had been captain of cavalry in retirement and was wounded in the right hand under the Empire.[citation needed]
In 1832, leading a force of five thousand men, the young EmirAbd al-Qadir attacked Oran. In April 1833, commander-in-chief, General Boyer, was replaced by the baronLouis Alexis Desmichels. The city's defenders, under attack by Abd al Qadir, held their ground.[citation needed] Many Europeans settled in Oran during the French period, and by the early 20th century they formed a majority of the city's population.[32][33][34]
InWorld War II, Oran was one of the landing points inOperation Torch, the first American action in theEurope-North Africa theatre in November 1942. The Task Force suffered some damage to its fleet, trying to land in shallow water, but the enemy ships were sunk or driven off, and Oran surrendered after heavy fire from British battleships.[35]
Today, Oran is a major port and a commercial centre, and has three universities. The old quarter of Oran has acasbah and an 18th-centurymosque. The modern section of Oran is referred to as La Ville Nouvelle and was built after 1831; this section contrasts with the older section, La Blanca.[37]
Oran features ahot semi-arid climate (Köppen:BSh). Oran's climate does show influences of aMediterranean climate; however, the combination of the city's relatively high average annual temperature and relatively low annual precipitation precludes it from falling under that climate category. Oran averages 326 mm (13 in) of precipitation annually, the bulk of which falls between November and May. Summers are the warmest times of the year, with average high temperatures in the warmest month (August) approaching 32 degrees Celsius. Winters are the coolest times of the year in Oran, with high temperatures in the coolest month (January) at around 17 degrees Celsius.
As Oran is located in Northern Algeria, it faces the threat of earthquakes that can cause damage. However, the last major earthquake was in 1790; 3,000 people died as a result. Many of the existing older buildings in the city have been reinforced, and newer construction is designed to withstand earthquakes. While the city dates back to the 900s, it is rare to find houses and buildings older than the French occupation.[41]
Medina Jedida [fr] or,new city in English, is a large historical and popular district. It was one of the Muslim quarters during the French colonial period. In this district, there is one of the biggest markets in the country, called Le Marché de Medina Jedida (Medina Jedida Market).
The historical districtSidi El Houari [es] is a suburb in the north of the d'Oran city. The Saint-Louis college is there, as well as the old mosque of the Pasha dating from the 17th century. In this district the skin of Saint-Patron of the city in the name of "Sidi El Houari" rests. Other tourist curiosities: one ancient prefecture of the data base Stalingrad, the Spanish vestiges dating from the 16th century, and especially the Palate of the Bey d'Oran.
Mers El Kébir ("The Great Port") is a municipality northwest of Oran, about seven kilometres (4+1⁄2 mi) from the city centre. As its name indicates, it is a major port and has an important naval base, home to the Algerian Navy.
Aïn El Turk ("Fountain of the Turks") is also northwest of Oran, at a distance of 15 km (9 mi). It is a seaside town which includes several hotels and other tourist attractions.
Es Sénia, located in the south of Oran, is home to industrial parks, several university institutes (Oran-Es-Sénia University, Institut of Communication, ENPO "National Polytechnic School of Oran", CRASC "Research center in social sciences" etc.) and the international airport.
Bir El Djir is a commune that represents the suburbs of Oran (apart from the districts). It is the future beating heart of the Oranian agglomeration. It has several buildings which are the seats of institutions as the headquarters ofSonatrach's downstream activity, the hospitalÉtablissement Hospitalo-universitaire "November 1st, 1954", the convention center (Palais des Congrès), University of sciences and technology (conceived by the Japanese architectKenzō Tange), the Institute of medical sciences, the Court of Justice and theNational Centre of Research in Social and Cultural Anthropology. There is as well a sports complex with an Olympic stadium of 50000 places created for the2022 Mediterranean Games.
Bir El Djir is an urban extension east of Oran, 8 km (5 mi) from the city center, with a population of 118,000 inhabitants.
This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(April 2016)
Railway station in Oran
The city's public transportation is centered on theOran tramway centering in the city center and running south to Es-Senia. TheOran Metro is a planned metro system expected to be complete in 2026, ran by theAlgiers Metro Company. There is an extensive network of "clandestine" taxis in the city. A project started in 2008/9 for theOran Tram, a tramway system consisting of 32 stations over a distance of 18.7 km (11.6 mi) going to Es-Sénia, in the South and Sidi Maarouf in the east side, while passing by the centre town The tramway serves Haï Sabbah, University of Sciences and Technology (USTO), the Crossroads of the Three Private clinics, the Law courts, Dar El Baïda, the Plate-Saint Michel, the Place of 1 November, Saint-Anthony, Boulanger, Saint-Hubert, the 3rd Ring road and finally The University of Es-Sénia. The system was opened on 1 May 2013.
TheAhmed Ben Bella Airport, also known as Es-Senia Airport, serves both domestic and international flights, with frequent connections to the capital Algiers, served by the public airline companyAir Algerie. The same company also has flights to many French cities (Marseille, Paris, Lyon, etc.) and other European and EMEA cities. The Es Senia Airport also serves passengers from most smaller towns in proximity to Oran (Sig, Mostaganem, Arzew, etc.). The airport building is a fairly limited construction and does not operate on a 24-h basis.
Oran held its first international marathon on 10 November 2005. The event, sponsored by Toyota of Algeria, attracted runners from Morocco, Libya, Spain, France and Kenya. The marathon served to publicize the health benefits of running and to provide a novel form of public entertainment for the city's residents.
The Championnat d'Afrique d'Athlétisme was scheduled to be held in Oran in June 2021.
The folk musicRaï ("opinion" in Arabic), had its beginnings in Oran. This genre of music was formulated by shepherds in the 1930s through Arab and European influences. This music was surrounded by controversy due to women's key role in public performances of the music, as well as the hedonistic lyrics about love and alcohol. This led to strict governmental control in the area which led to arrests, injuries, and assassinations.[43] Many notable Raï musicians (includingCheb Hasni,Cheb Khaled, andRachid Taha) hail from Oran. The violinist Akim el Sikameya was also born in Oran. One of Oran's most famous emigrants isYves Saint Laurent.[44]
Albert Camus' 1947 novelThe Plague presents a fictional tale of observations of a physician during the emergence and recession of bubonic plague in the 1940s in Oran.
In the movieCasablanca (1942), the route for refugees fleeing to the Americas wasParis toMarseille, across the Mediterranean to Oran, then by train, auto or foot toCasablanca. If they acquired an exit visa, they went on toLisbon from there.
Part ofArturo Pérez-Reverte's Capitán Alatriste adventure novel,Corsarios de Levante (Pirates of the Levant, 2006), takes place in early 17th-century Oran. The action of the book occurs a few years after the forced expulsion of the lastMoriscos (Spanish Christians of Muslim descent) from Valencia. Oran is featured as a sun-blasted North African military stronghold. Capitán Diego Alatriste finds Oran to be manned by an impoverished garrison of Spanish Christians, living alongside Muslims (some fiercely loyal to Spain), and Sephardic Jews, descendants of refugees from the 1492 expulsions from Spain.
In theITV drama seriesHornblower, Lieutenant Hornblower is sent by Captain Pellew to Oran to obtain supplies, only to discover that the city was suffering from abubonic plague epidemic.
The heroine ofGeraldine Brooks' novel,Year of Wonders, emigrates to Oran after leaving her home village that was quarantined in 1666 due to the plague.
Joann Sfar's graphic novelThe Rabbi's Cat 2 begins in Oran.
Oran has become a major trading centre for the wider area, servingArzew, the area's oil/gas port as well as Sonatrach, the country's biggest oil and gas company.Sonelgaz has built a new congress centre in Oran and in 2010 the 16th International Conference & Exhibition onLiquefied Natural Gas was held in the city of Oran, which attracted around 3,000 visitors and major companies from around the world.
To accommodate all visitors, new hotels are currently being constructed and floating hotels will be used in the future. With a growth in urbanization, water quality and management is being harmed in Oran; this change in water quality is affecting marine life and the state of beaches in this tourism driven city.[47]
Oran has numerous hotels in all categories, from luxury to basic, as well as many restaurants offering Algerian specialities and other foods. Tourists will also find a variety of cinemas, arts centres, the regional theatre, an open-air theatre, the Museum, the historic city centre of Oran, the district of Sidi El Houari, the municipal gardens, Médina Djedida with its artisanal products, the cathedral, Djebel Murdjadjo, and nearby seaside resorts.Ahmed Ben Bella Airport is11.9 km (7+3⁄8 mi) from the town centre. One can also reach Oran by ferries from the ports ofMarseille,Sète,Alicante andAlmería, via the national companyAlgérie Ferries. The Great Mosque is another attraction for tourists. The Great Mosque was built in 1796 to celebrate the end of Spanish rule of the city.[49]
The main museum in Oran is calledMusée National Ahmend Zabana. Although often overlooked by tourists, it includes a natural history exhibit in addition to art pieces like mosaics and portraits.[44]
Bey's Palace is another favorite spot for tourists, situated in Sidi al-Houari in the city center. It is an Ottoman era palace built ofIslamic architecture, consists ofharem, guard towers andstucco-painted halls.[50]
Water supply in Oran has historically been stressed because of the lack of consistent rainfall.[51] The regional government invested in hydraulic projects in the 2010s to increase retention of water, and installing a desalination plant increasedwater security.[51] Oran's region uses a mix of groundwater (11%), surface water (51%) and desalinization (38%).[52] Thewilaya of Oran is also equipped with five desalination plants, including the unit ofMacta, with a maximum daily capacity of 500,000 m3.[53][54]
^Schwartz, Carl (1 March 1867)."Mission Stations of the British Society".The Scattered Nation and Jewish Christian. London: Elliot Stock. p. 76.Archived from the original on 9 October 2023. Retrieved3 May 2023.
^Urzainqui, Tomas; Esarte, Pello; García Manzanal, Alberto; Sagredo, Iñaki; Sagredo, Iñaki; Sagredo, Iñaki; Del Castillo, Eneko; Monjo, Emilio; Ruiz de Pablos, Francisco; Guerra Viscarret, Pello; Lartiga, Halip; Lavin, Josu; Ercilla, Manuel (2013).La Conquista de Navarra y la Reforma Europea. Pamplona-Iruña: Pamiela.ISBN978-84-7681-803-9.
^Jonathan Israel (1994). "The Jews of Spanish Oran and Their Expulsion in 1669".Mediterranean Historical Review.9 (2):235–255.doi:10.1080/09518969408569672.
^Joan, Gross (2002). Jonathan Xavier and Renato Rosaldo (ed.)."Arab Noise and Ramadan Nights: Rai, Rap and Franco-Maghrebi Identities" The Anthology of Globalization: A Reader. Oxford: Blackwell.
^ab"Oran".Lonely Planet.Archived from the original on 14 November 2016. Retrieved14 November 2016.
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