• Home

The Complete Pilgrim - Religious Travel Sites

Howard Kramer's, The Complete Pilgrim, Religious Travel Site

  • AMERICAN RELIGIOUS SITES
  • CHRISTIAN SITES
  • JEWISH SITES
  • CATHOLIC SITES
  • ISLAMIC SITES
  • INDIAN/HINDU SITES
  • HOLIDAY SITES
  • CASTLES
  • BATTLEFIELDS
  • MOUNTAINS
  • NATURE
  • WILDLIFE SITES
  • PHOTO GALLERIES
  • ARCHIVES
  • ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

SIDI BOU MEDIENE MOSQUE (MASJID SIDI BOU MEDIENE)

April 16, 2015 By Howard Kramer Leave a Comment

Tlemcen, Algeria

Ever since Islam arrived in North Africa, Tlemcen enjoyed a prominent position along the trade and pilgrimage routes between West Africa and the east.  Although politically and militarily important throughout the Middle Ages, it was overshadowed by nearby Kairouan in neighboring Tunisia.  However, during the 1100s, Tlemcen managed to establish itself as a pilgrimage city as well.  Taking advantage of Sidi Bou Medienne, a well-known Islamic teacher who happened to die while passing through the city, Tlemcen co-opted his body and built a major shrine over it.  Tlemcen has been the spiritual center of Algeria ever since.  It remains to this day a major destination and transit point for Islamic pilgrims heading eastwards, and for many Algerians and Moroccans in particular Tlemcen is an important gathering point for travelers heading for Arabia.

History

After the conquest of Tunisia in the 7th century, the Arab armies racing across North Africa took a break for a few years to consolidate their phenomenally expanded empire.  However, the introduction of Islam to the Berber tribes of the region made a continued westward march inevitable.  Tlemcen was taken in 708 AD, and subsequently became a major transit point between Tunis to the east and Morocco and Spain to the west.  It was also used as a base for expanding Islam into Mauritania, Mali and the Sahara Desert regions to the south.  Because of its strategic position at several major crossroads, the city of Tlemcen drew large numbers of traders and pilgrims, the latter passing through on their way to the holy cities of the east.

During the 8th and 9th centuries North Africa grew increasingly independent of the authority of the eastern caliphates.  Tlemcen, the most prominent city between Tunisia and Morocco in the Middle Ages, eventually broke away to form its own realm.  Long a politically and geographically important city, Tlemcen also became a religious center in the 12th century, almost by accident, when a prominent Islamic theologian died there on his way home from visiting Mecca.  Sidi Bou Mediene was considered one of the most influential mystics of his day.  According to legend he was merely passing through Tlemcen on his way to Marrakesh when he died suddenly of unknown natural causes.  Seeing opportunity, local leaders built him a beautiful tomb, erected a mosque in his honor and did their best to attract pilgrims.

After the Reconquista of Spain, Tlemcen was drawn into the great conflict between the Christians of Spain and the Muslim states of North Africa.  At the behest of the city’s viceroy, Tlemcen became a haven for Muslims and Jews fleeing from the Inquisition.  The viceroy, a Jewish man named Abraham, personally put up much of the money that brought both persecuted groups safely to Algeria.  After Spain conquered Oran in the 16th century, they began to expand into the rest of Algeria.  Tlemcen only barely held them off after an assault in 1543.  Nevertheless this prompted the Algerians to move their capital city to Algiers, which was considered a more secure location.

For the next four hundred years, Tlemcen faded in importance as control of the city passed through the control of a series of foreign powers.  The Ottomans took Tlemcen under their protection in 1553 and held it until 1671.  The locals spent the next century frequently fighting with Spanish forces from Oran.  Algeria briefly became independent in 1792, only to be conquered again in the 19th century, this time by the French.  From 1834 to 1844, Tlemcen became the epicenter of resistance against the French occupation, but the rebellion was ultimately crushed.  This put a final end to Tlemcen’s political importance.  However, the Tomb of Sidi Bou-Mediene remains Algeria’s spiritual heart to the present day.

Visiting

The Masjid Sidi Bou Medienne is a beautiful building and an exceptional example of the mosque architecture that can be found throughout the Maghreb region.  Although smaller than similar pilgrimage mosques in Morocco and Tunisia, the construction and adornments are no less ornate.  The eyecatching minaret uses the square construction typical of the area, and visually dominates the mosque.  One unusual feature of the minaret is its lighting.  The mosque features a deep orange-red lighting, as opposed to the more standard bright white lighting, which makes the place appear like a giant warm candle at night.

Much of the interior is constructed of or decorated in white marble trimmed in brilliant mosaics of local tile.  Portions of the exterior are similarly decorated.  Adornments of gold and precious materials are used liberally throughout the interior decorations.  The body of Sidi Bou-Medienne is interred in a casket in the main hall of the mosque.

The Masjid Sidi Bou Medienne is located about a mile or so east of the old center of Tlemcen, approximately 275 miles west of Algiers.  It is open to Muslims and occasionally to non-Muslims depending on the day and time of visit and the current political climate of the region.  As of this writing no other visitor information was available.  Web: www.tlemcen-dz.com (official tourism website of Tlemcen)

Other Sites

In addition to the Mosque of Sidi Bou-Medienne, Tlemcen is also the location of the Tomb of Houari Bou Medienne.  Houari Bou Medienne was a hero of the uprising against the French occupation of Algeria, and served as the modern country’s second president.  He is highly honored among Algerians.

Filed Under: Gravesite, Muslim Tagged With: Africa (North)

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

About Howard Kramer

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is a culmination of years of his work and passion.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

THE COMPLETE AMERICAN PILGRIM – NOW AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

THE COMPLETE PILGRIM

Welcome to The Complete Pilgrim(TM)! This site, created by Howard Kramer, is a combination travel blog and online guide to the world's greatest sites of religious interest (with some historic and recreational places thrown in for good measure). All written content has been originally researched and produced and is provided free for public research and enjoyment. Thank you for visiting!

Site of the Week

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

WITTENBERG CASTLE CHURCH

Wittenberg, Germany The … [Read More...]

Friends of TCP Spotlight

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

5 PLACES TO VISIT IN HISTORIC PHILADELPHIA – MUSLIM TRAVEL ROCKS

by Glory Ali The City of Brotherly Love offers tons to see and do and get this, it’s FREE. That’s right you heard it right it’s FREE. Click here for complete article  

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

MOVING THE U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM – FAITH IN FAITHS

by Mary Neuhauser President Trump recently announced his intentions to move the United States Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, thereby recognizing Jerusalem as the official capital of Israel. The purpose of this article is to give you a brief overview of what this decision means and why it matters. Click here for […]

Photo of the Week

BASILICA OF ST. DENIS

Last month, I visited one of the most fascinating churches I have ever been to, the almost completely ignored Basilica of St. Denis in the northern suburbs of Paris.  Almost every French monarch is buried here, and almost nobody goes here.  Here are some pics I took:

Basilica of St. Denis

Tomb of Clovis

Tomb of Clovis

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tombs of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Tomb of Louis XIV The Sun King

Royal Tombs

Royal Tombs

The Crypt

The Crypt

 

 

 

 

Follow us!

Where would you like to go?

Africa (North) Africa (Sub-Sahara) Arabia Armenia/Azerbaijan/Georgia Australia/Pacific Austria/Switzerland Balkans Belgium/Netherlands British Isles Canada Caribbean Central Asia China Czech Republic Egypt France Germany Greece Hungary/Romania/Bulgaria India (NE)/Nepal India (NW) India (South)/Sri Lanka Iran/Iraq Israel Italy/Malta Japan/Korea Latin America Mexico Palestine Poland/Lithuania Russia Scandinavia Southeast Asia Spain/Portugal Syria/Jordan/Lebanon Turkey/Cyprus Ukraine US-California US-Mid Atlantic US-Midwest US-New England US-New York US-Pacific Northwest US-South US-Southwest

Contact Us

Have a comment, a great photo or a religious site you'd like to nominate for the weekly spotlight? We would love to hear from you. Email us at hkramer@thecompletepilgrim.com.

About the Author

Howard Kramer is the creator and author of The Complete Pilgrim. He first took an interest in religious sites in his early twenties when traveling through Italy after college. In the two decades since he has traveled to more than two dozen countries and almost every state, visiting and photographing hundreds of the world’s greatest churches, synagogues and other places of religious interest. Howard has been writing about religious sites for the better part of the last decade, and The Complete Pilgrim is the culmination of years of his work and passion.

Return to top of page
Copyright © 2023 The Complete Pilgrim, LLC || Marietta, GA 30068 || Legal Disclaimers

Website by: Kristina McInerny, Notes From Kris, Inc.