Tlemcen, Ancient trading city in northwestern Algeria.
Tlemcen is a city in northwestern Algeria that spreads across a highland at 815 meters (2,670 feet) elevation, surrounded by mountains and orchards near the Moroccan border. The streets wind between old city walls to mosques, palaces, and winding residential quarters with courtyards.
Romans founded a settlement called Pomaria here in the 4th century because of the orchards and strategic location. The Almoravids captured the site in the 11th century and the Zayyanid dynasty made it the capital of their kingdom between the 13th and 16th centuries.
The old town carries the nickname Pearl of the Maghreb due to the many preserved mosques and madrasas from the Zayyanid dynasty rule. Visitors can walk through narrow lanes with traditional craft workshops, where leatherworkers and carpet weavers still use the same techniques as centuries ago.
The best visiting time falls between March and May or September to November, when temperatures are moderate and light brings out the stonework well. Comfortable shoes are important for walking the steep lanes and uneven cobbled paths in the old town.
The Grand Mosque from 1136 is one of Algeria's largest Islamic structures with geometric patterns and calligraphic decorations on the interior walls. The city also houses the Mosque of Sidi bel Hassan from the 12th century and the Méchouar citadel with its massive defensive walls.
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