Guelma
Encyclopedia
Guelma is the capital of Guelma Province
and Guelma District
, located in northeastern Algeria
, about 65 kilometers from the Mediterranean
coast. It is home to the titular see
of Calama
.
ns, who called it Malaca, probably a Phoenician word meaning "salt
" (sharing a common etymology with Málaga
in Spain
). Later, the Romans
settled the area and renamed it Calama, part of the Roman province
of Numidia
. Calama prospered during the rise of Christianity
; Saint Possidius
was bishop of Guelma during the 5th century. Later, the Vandal invasion devastated the area until the coming of the Byzantines
, who settled the area and built city walls to protect it from further invasions. It was located in the Byzantine Exarchate of Africa
. However, after the successful Islamic conquest
of Algeria, the area was abandoned as a formal settlement, even later, during Ottoman rule
.
, after seven centuries of abandonment. The annexation of the area began with the advancing of the French Army going to Constantine
from Annaba
(the occupation of Constantine would make northeastern Algeria officially a part of France) who discovered (and temporarily occupied) the ruins of Calama from 10–15 November 1836 under the command of general Bertrand Clausel. Guelma was established as a city on January 20, 1846, and later got its communal constitution on 17 June 1854. A modern city quickly developed around the Roman ruins, first inside the restored Byzantine city walls, later also outside the walls, which continued to function during these times, and near the railroad which crossed the city from the west to the east. The Roman theater of Guelma was restored in 1905 under the rule of mayor M. Joly. The city had a high percentage of European settlers during these times, supported by the French colonial policy.
Its civilians suffered greatly during the Sétif massacre
of 8 May 1945. Guelma's oldest still-operating religious building (1837) is the El-Atik Mosque, or "The Great Mosque Of Guelma". Guelma has also had a synagogue
, which served the local Jews
as well as a church on the place de Saint Augustin
for the European settlers.
to inland areas such as Wilaya of Constantine, Oum El Bouagui and Souk-Ahras.
milling. Guelma is also known for some traditional industries such as knitting and pottery.
Local hotels include: Hotel Mermoura, Hotel Tarik, Hotel Chelala (Hammam Debagh), Hotel la Couronne, the tourist complex of El Baraka (includes hotel A/B), and the tourist complex of Bouchahernie.
Guelma has several football clubs:
operates a radio channel in Guelma .
(Arabic) Official website of the tourism office of Guelma Province
Guelma Province
Guelma Province is a province in eastern Algeria. Its namesake is its seat and most populous municipality: Guelma.-History:Its civilians suffered heavy casualties during the 1945 Sétif massacre by the French Army. The province itself was established on 1974. Before that, it was part of Annaba...
and Guelma District
Guelma District
Guelma is a district in Guelma Province, Algeria. It was named after its capital, Guelma, which is also the capital of the province.-Municipalities:The district is further divided into 2 municipalities, which is the lowest number in the province:...
, located in northeastern Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, about 65 kilometers from the Mediterranean
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
coast. It is home to the titular see
Titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
of Calama
Calama (titular see)
Calama is a Catholic titular see of Africa, corresponding to modern Guelma, Algeria.- History :Calama appears to be the Roman name of Suthul, a city in Numidia, besieged by Postumius 110 BC. It became a Roman municipium as early as Hadrian, and a colony a little later.In the time of Diocletian it...
.
Antiquity
Though Guelma was settled from early prehistory, it was first established as a town under the PhoeniciaPhoenicia
Phoenicia , was an ancient civilization in Canaan which covered most of the western, coastal part of the Fertile Crescent. Several major Phoenician cities were built on the coastline of the Mediterranean. It was an enterprising maritime trading culture that spread across the Mediterranean from 1550...
ns, who called it Malaca, probably a Phoenician word meaning "salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
" (sharing a common etymology with Málaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
). Later, the Romans
Roman Republic
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization where the government operated as a republic. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, traditionally dated around 508 BC, and its replacement by a government headed by two consuls, elected annually by the citizens and...
settled the area and renamed it Calama, part of the Roman province
Roman province
In Ancient Rome, a province was the basic, and, until the Tetrarchy , largest territorial and administrative unit of the empire's territorial possessions outside of Italy...
of Numidia
Numidia
Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom in part of present-day Eastern Algeria and Western Tunisia in North Africa. It is known today as the Chawi-land, the land of the Chawi people , the direct descendants of the historical Numidians or the Massyles The kingdom began as a sovereign state and later...
. Calama prospered during the rise of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
; Saint Possidius
Saint Possidius
Possidius was a friend of Saint Augustine of Hippo who wrote a reliable biography and an indiculus or list of his works. He was bishop of Calama in the Roman province of Numidia.-Biography:...
was bishop of Guelma during the 5th century. Later, the Vandal invasion devastated the area until the coming of the Byzantines
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, who settled the area and built city walls to protect it from further invasions. It was located in the Byzantine Exarchate of Africa
Exarchate of Africa
The Exarchate of Africa or of Carthage, after its capital, was the name of an administrative division of the Eastern Roman Empire encompassing its possessions on the Western Mediterranean, ruled by an exarch, or viceroy...
. However, after the successful Islamic conquest
Medieval Muslim Algeria
Medieval Muslim Algeria was a period of Muslim dominance in Algeria during the Middle Ages, roughly spanning the millennium from the 7th century to the 17th century. Unlike the invasions of previous religions and cultures, the coming of Islam, which was spread by Arabs, was to have pervasive and...
of Algeria, the area was abandoned as a formal settlement, even later, during Ottoman rule
History of Ottoman Algeria
Ottoman Algeria was an Ottoman territory centered on Algiers, in modern Algeria. It was established around 1525 when Hayreddin Barbarossa recaptured the city. The Regency of Algiers was the principal center of Ottoman Empire power in the Maghreb. It was also a base from which attacks were made on...
.
French rule
Guelma was re-established as a formal settlement during the French invasion of AlgeriaFrench Algeria
French Algeria lasted from 1830 to 1962, under a variety of governmental systems. From 1848 until independence, the whole Mediterranean region of Algeria was administered as an integral part of France, much like Corsica and Réunion are to this day. The vast arid interior of Algeria, like the rest...
, after seven centuries of abandonment. The annexation of the area began with the advancing of the French Army going to Constantine
Constantine, Algeria
Constantine is the capital of Constantine Province in north-eastern Algeria. It was the capital of the same-named French département until 1962. Slightly inland, it is about 80 kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, on the banks of Rhumel river...
from Annaba
Annaba
Annaba is a city in the northeastern corner of Algeria near the river Seybouse. It is located in Annaba Province. With a population of 257,359 , it is the fourth largest city in Algeria. It is a leading industrial centre in eastern Algeria....
(the occupation of Constantine would make northeastern Algeria officially a part of France) who discovered (and temporarily occupied) the ruins of Calama from 10–15 November 1836 under the command of general Bertrand Clausel. Guelma was established as a city on January 20, 1846, and later got its communal constitution on 17 June 1854. A modern city quickly developed around the Roman ruins, first inside the restored Byzantine city walls, later also outside the walls, which continued to function during these times, and near the railroad which crossed the city from the west to the east. The Roman theater of Guelma was restored in 1905 under the rule of mayor M. Joly. The city had a high percentage of European settlers during these times, supported by the French colonial policy.
Its civilians suffered greatly during the Sétif massacre
Setif massacre
The Sétif massacre refers to widespread disturbances and killings in and around the Algerian market town of Sétif located to the west of Constantine in 1945. Shooting by the French authorities against local demonstrators occurred on 8 May 1945. Then, riots in the town itself were followed by...
of 8 May 1945. Guelma's oldest still-operating religious building (1837) is the El-Atik Mosque, or "The Great Mosque Of Guelma". Guelma has also had a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, which served the local Jews
History of the Jews in Algeria
History of the Jews in Algeria refers to the history of the Jewish community of Algeria, which goes back to the 1st centuries CE. In the 14th century, many Spanish Jews moved to Algeria...
as well as a church on the place de Saint Augustin
Augustine of Hippo
Augustine of Hippo , also known as Augustine, St. Augustine, St. Austin, St. Augoustinos, Blessed Augustine, or St. Augustine the Blessed, was Bishop of Hippo Regius . He was a Latin-speaking philosopher and theologian who lived in the Roman Africa Province...
for the European settlers.
Post-independence
After the Independence of Algeria, both the European settlers and the indigenous Jews left, and the synagogue and the church were converted into mosques. The population of Guelma grew at a rapid pace.Geography and climate
Guelma is situated at the heart of a major agricultural region, 290 m above sea level and surrounded by mountains (Maouna, Dbegh, Houara). The region is very fertile thanks to the Seybouse River and a large dam that provides a vast irrigation scheme. It occupies a strategic geographic position as a crossroads in northeastern Algeria, linking the coast of Wilaya of Annaba, El Taref and SkikdaSkikda
Skikda is a city in north eastern Algeria and a port on the Gulf of Stora, the ancient Sinus Numidicus. It was known as Philippeville until the end of the Algerian War of Independence in 1962...
to inland areas such as Wilaya of Constantine, Oum El Bouagui and Souk-Ahras.
Industry
The city's industries include the manufacture of cycles and mopeds, sugar refinement, ceramics, canning, and semolinaSemolina
Semolina is the coarse, purified wheat middlings of durum wheat used in making pasta, and also used for breakfast cereals and puddings. Semolina is also used to designate coarse middlings from other varieties of wheat, and from other grains such as rice and corn.-Name:The term semolina derives from...
milling. Guelma is also known for some traditional industries such as knitting and pottery.
Tourism
Nearby tourist attractions include hot springs, Hammam Debagh (20 minutes away from Guelma), and Hammam Ouled Ali, which contains two resorts and provides services for tourists.Local hotels include: Hotel Mermoura, Hotel Tarik, Hotel Chelala (Hammam Debagh), Hotel la Couronne, the tourist complex of El Baraka (includes hotel A/B), and the tourist complex of Bouchahernie.
Sports
The city has various sports facilities: the Olympic Stadium, Municipal Stadium, an Olympic swimming pool and a multi-sports hall. Football is the most popular sport in the city, as in all the cities of the country.Guelma has several football clubs:
- Espérance Sportive de Guelma konwn as ES Guelma (founded in 1939)
- The Olympic Football Guelma (founded in 1947)
- L'Ettardji Sarri Madinet Guelma (founded on 8 September 1977)
Music
Folk and traditional music is always present in the city. The city has been musically influenced by Constantine and Annaba. In addition to traditional folk Algerian musicians, the city has rap artists, blues-rock musicians (Nouba), pop-rock musicians (Malaka) and heavy metal groups (Dark Storm, Headhome).(eskrem)rock Many musical activities have been organized in the city, including at the Palace of Culture (Abdel Almajidd Chafii).Media
There are no local TV channels or newspapers in Guelma, however, Radio AlgérieEntreprise nationale de Radiodiffusion sonore
Entreprise nationale de Radiodiffusion sonore is the state-owned public radio broadcaster of Algeria....
operates a radio channel in Guelma .
Notable people
- Chafaa Abdelmajid, author, playwright and teacher; one of the leaders of Algeria
- Slimane Benaissa, playwright, dramatist
- Kateb YacineKateb YacineKateb Yacine was an Algerian writer notable for his novels and plays, both in French and Algerian Arabic dialect, and his advocacy of the Algerian Berber cause.-Biography:...
(Kateb's is his family name, Yacine his first name) is an Algerian writer; born in Constantine August 2, 1929, died October 28 in Grenoble 1989 - Houari BoumedieneHouari BoumedieneHouari Boumedienne served as Algeria's Chairman of the Revolutionary Council from 19 June 1965 until 12 December 1976, and from then on as the fourth President of Algeria to his death on 27 December 1978.- Background :Mohamed Ben Brahim Boukharouba was born near Héliopolis in the province of...
, President of Algeria from 1965 to 1978; helped the country to stand up after the liberation war against the French - Abdallah BaaliAbdallah BaaliAbdallah Baali is an Algerian diplomat.He has been the Ambassador of Algeria to Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand and Brunei Darussalam from 1992 to 1996, to the United Nations from 1996-2005 and to the United States of America since 2008.He was Permanent Representative of Algeria to the United...
, Algerian diplomat - Taieb Boulahrouf, FLNNational Liberation Front (Algeria)The National Liberation Front is a socialist political party in Algeria. It was set up on November 1, 1954 as a merger of other smaller groups, to obtain independence for Algeria from France.- Anticolonial struggle :...
militant ; pre-independence FLN and Algeria successively ambassador to Rome, Lima, Bucharest, Buenos Aires, La Paz and Lisbon after independence - Saddek Boussena, former energy minister, former president of OPEC