DAR AZIZA-BENT-EL-BEY
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This architecturally renowned palace houses the Office national de gestion et d'exploitation des biens culturels protégés.
Located opposite the Ketchaoua mosque, this jewel of Ottoman architecture is, like Dar Ahmed, one of the few buildings of the great Djenina complex , seat of the Regency government and administration, to have survived the fire of 1844 and the destruction of the district by the French in 1856. Dar Aziza-Bent-El-Bey, which means "Palace of Aziza, daughter of the Bey", is believed to have been built in the 16th century for Aziza on the occasion of her marriage to the Bey of Constantine. At the time, it served as a residence for the regents of Algiers and visiting foreign dignitaries. During the French presence, it became the bishop's residence, then in 1838 the home of the archbishopric. After independence, it was assigned in turn to the Ministry of Tourism, then to the Algerian Tourism Agency. Today, it houses the Office national de gestion et d'exploitation des biens culturels protégés. However, you can still visit some parts of the building. Originally, the palace had three floors, the last of which failed to withstand the violent earthquake of 1716. Designed in accordance with the architectural principles of the Ottoman period, the residence is built around a magnificent patio surrounded by s'hine (galleries), supported by marble columns topped with capitals, and decorated with earthenware tiles, carved woodwork, clerestories... The current doorway was removed from another entrance in 1835, during alterations that eliminated the annex house. Experts agree that this is the most beautiful palace in the Casbah.
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