Constantine

Constantine, city in north-eastern Algeria, capital of the department of Constantine. It is a centre for the manufacture of leather, woollen, and linen goods. Considerable trade in these products and in cereals is carried on with Algiers, Tunis, Annaba, Biskra, and Skikda.

The city stands on a rocky plateau more than 640 m (2,100 ft) above sea level. It is cut off from the surrounding country on all sides except the west by a deep ravine, through which the Rhumel River flows. A viaduct spans the ravine in the south, and bridges cross it in the north and north-east. The Moorish, older part of the town, with its narrow, winding streets and Oriental architecture, contrasts sharply with the spaciousness of the modern quarter. Among notable buildings in Constantine are the Casbah, or Roman citadel, which is now a hospital and a barracks; the 18th-century mosque of Sidiel-Kattani; and a 19th-century Moorish palace that was the residence of the French governor until Algeria achieved independence. Educational and cultural institutions include the University of Constantine (1969) and the Cirta Museum.

The city was founded in ad 313 by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great on the site of the ancient Numidian city of Cirta. The Arabs used Roman dressed stones to build the walls around the city. In 1837 Constantine was taken by France. Population 462,187 (1998).