Beautiful photographs of Algiers, Algeria, from 1899

Guy Cookson

Moonlight view, with lighthouse, Algiers, Algeria][ca. 1899].
Moonlight view, with lighthouse, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
A very good friend of mine, Hicham Yezza, recently discovered a beautiful collection of photos of his home country of Algeria from 1899.

I asked Hich for his thoughts on the photographs:

“The photos evoke quite mixed feelings in me. They are exquisite portraits of a bygone era. They are also a record of colonial conquest and domination, of how a land was transformed by the arrival of a European power. Above all, they are a remarkable record of a beautiful landscape, most of which has been lost in the century since, to wars, to capitalism, to modernity.”

One day I would love to visit these places, to see them for myself, and to see how they have changed.

The cemetery, with chapel, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
The cemetery, with chapel, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Cathedral, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Cathedral, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Street of the camels, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Street of the camels, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Group, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899]
Group of Arabs, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899]
Moorish coffee house, Algiers, Algeria [ca 1899].
Moorish coffee house, Algiers, Algeria [ca 1899].
Government place, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Government place, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Moorish woman and child on the terrace, II, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Moorish woman and child on the terrace, II, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Market, Biskra, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Market, Biskra, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Luce Ben Aben, School of Arab Embroidery, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Luce Ben Aben, School of Arab Embroidery, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Museum: entrance hall, II, Algiers, Algeria
Museum: entrance hall, II, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1999].
Merchants of eatables, Bona, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Merchants of eatables, Bona, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Screenshot 2015-08-17 16.30.06
Luce Ben Aben, Moorish women preparing couscous, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Distinguished Moorish women, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Distinguished Moorish women, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
Harbor by moonlight, II, Algiers, Algeria
Harbor by moonlight, II, Algiers, Algeria [ca. 1899].
View the full collection here.

Beautiful photographs of Algiers, Algeria, from 1899