Raïs Palace, Historic landmark in the Casbah, Algiers, Algeria
The Raïs Palace, also known as Bastion 23 or Palais des Raïs, is a historic landmark on the seafront edge of the Casbah in Algiers. The complex groups several buildings arranged around small courtyards, linked by covered alleyways called sabbat.
The complex was built in the 16th century on the orders of Ottoman rulers to defend the coastline of Algiers. After the French occupied the city in the 19th century, the site changed use several times before restoration work began in the 1980s and it reopened to the public in 1994.
The Palais des Raïs hosts art exhibitions and cultural events that bring its rooms and courtyards to life. Visitors can see decorated tiles, carved woodwork, and wrought iron details that reflect the craftsmanship of the Ottoman period.
The palace sits inside the Casbah of Algiers, a neighborhood of narrow and sometimes steep streets best explored on foot. Visiting in the morning generally gives better light inside the courtyards and fewer crowds.
The palace is one of the very few seafront buildings that survived the demolitions carried out during the early French occupation, when much of the surrounding neighborhood was torn down. The covered sabbat passageways were designed not only to connect buildings but also to shield residents from both sun and potential threats.
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