International Journal of Human Settlements Vol. 1 . Nr. 2 . 2017 Characteristics of the medina of Tlemcen Walid HAMMA Received: 15 June 2017 • Revised: 22 July 2017 • Accepted: 24 August 2017 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MEDINA OF TLEMCEN Walid HAMMA Lecturer, Dr, Arch, Abu Backr Belkaid Tlemcen University, Faculty of Technology, Department of Architecture, email: [email protected] Abstract: The ancient vernacular city of Tlemcen is called Islamic Medina. Through this study we want to confirm that its name is not fortuitous. It has characteristics of an Islamic city. To confirm this hypothesis, we analyzed its urban tissues using a typo-morphological and functional approach, also studying the following elements: urban frame and spatial organization, urban roads, squares, souks, gardens, fountains and the large pond, the ramparts and gates, symbolic elements, arches and skifas, mosques, medersas, zawiyas, palaces, fondouks, ferrane, hammams, mausoleums, tanneries and mills, houses. Key words: Medina, architecture, urbansim, Islam, Tlemcen Introduction The medina is a Muslim city whose functions, organization (urban and society) and architecture obey the precepts of Islam, it presents the apogee of the Islamic civilization. UNESCO defined it in 1995 through a detailed study of this urban entity: "The medina, in Arabic, was the integrated and integral city, a social unit of reference, exclusive habitat to the consolidation of sedentary lifestyle. Nucleus permeable space rural areas that feed it and the commercial activities that support it despite the ramparts that close it and protect it from the threat of the invaders. Inside of his walls germinates to a living social fabric with his passions of love and war capable of building the history of his own identity, and his own identity signs and the translation of lifestyles to the literary and artistic creation, and the architectural expression and craft" (UNESCO, 1995). In the fourteenth century to be civilized (moutahadir), you must live in the city (Madina) according to Ibn Khaldoun, as he confirmed in this passage" Where the concentration of urbanization is stronger, civilization is also brighter (famatâ kâna -l- umrân akthar, kânat al-hadâr akmal) "(Chabane, 2003). He also described the urbanization (tamadoune) which is according to the absorption of the countryside by cities (el moudoune) From the point of view of urban planning, the medina has realistic and spiritual characters because the needs materials of the Muslim population are satisfied in a religious setting, that is to say that Islam configures and organizes this city. This is not the case in Western cities that do not have a unifying spirit in their design because the different needs of man are dissociated. The medina is surrounded by walls pierced with urban doors, it generally presents a radioconcentric urban plot (vernacular and organic), the spaces are hierarchical and organized around a center that groups the functions religious, editorial and economic. It is composed of many winding paths and pedestrian street on which atrium houses abut each side of these latest. Equipment is integrated into the urban fabric of the city whose size is calculated according to the needs of the population. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) 50 International Journal of Human Settlements Vol. 1 . Nr. 2 . 2017 Characteristics of the medina of Tlemcen Walid HAMMA Received: 15 June 2017 • Revised: 22 July 2017 • Accepted: 24 August 2017 The structuring urban elements of the Islamic Medina are: • The neighborhoods are a set of urban entities that make up the city, they present many hierarchical routes and local amenities that come to organize around a plot. These neighborhoods are generally inhabited by a population that has relationship. • The places are places of meeting, exchange and rest, they can also shelter festivities or weekly markets. Places are usually ranked according to their importance and position; there is a large central square and neighborhood squares. • The tracks are the connecting elements of the different elements that constitute the city. They are hierarchical streets (main road called Echariêe), lanes (secondary road called • Derb) and dead ends. • The cemeteries are located in extramures next to an urban gate and whose path leads to the big mosque. • The fortifications are all the defensive walls, the building material differs from one medina to another according to their availability. Large urban gates come to pierce these ramparts • The mosques are the places of worship where the Islamic religion is practiced. These buildings are from the grand mosque (located in the center of the city) to the mossala through the neighborhood mosques. • The hammams (baths), are hygienic equipments (the cleanliness is paramount at • Muslims), they usually take a stand next to the mosques. • The palaces are the residences of khalifes, kings or princes, the latter take position at the center or near the main urban gates. • The souks, are either hard (set of shops) or free space, they have a character specialized economy and are located on the main streets • The fondouks are buildings intended for the lodging but also with the trade since the ground floor is materialized in the storage of goods. These equipments are located near the souks. • The houses are introverted dwellings with a central patio where the others come spaces get organized. • The medersas are places of knowledge and learning not only of the Koran and the precepts of Islam but also other sciences. A l’instar des médinas musulmanes, Tlemcen porte cette appellation. Nous voulions à travers cette recherche confirmer ou infirmer la construction de la ville suivant les préceptes de l’islam. Pour cela, nous avons opté pour une analyse typo-morphologique et fonctionnelle. Ceci nous a amené à étudier les éléments suivant : • Urban frame and spatial organization • Urban roads • Places • Souks • Gardens, fountains and the large pond • The ramparts and gates • Symbolic elements, arcs and skifas • Mosques • Medersas • Zawiyas • Palaces • Fondouks Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) 51 International Journal of Human Settlements Vol. 1 . Nr. 2 . 2017 Characteristics of the medina of Tlemcen Walid HAMMA Received: 15 June 2017 • Revised: 22 July 2017 • Accepted: 24 August 2017 • Ferrane • Hammams • Mausoleums • Tanneries and mills • Habitations Characteristics of the medina Urban frame and spatial organization The present medina of Tlemcen represents the second core of the city after Agadir which was destroyed by wars, this original nucleus of the Almoravid city Tagrart, reflects the identity Culture, history, lifestyle (traditions and customs) and religion of the local population that are materialized spatially and concentrated in this millennial city. So it has a symbolic value in the eyes of the inhabitants Tlemceniens. The stratification of this city has produces many monuments that are architectural gems but alas many factors intrinsic and extrinsic have negatively influenced this city such as colonization, wars between dynasties, the population explosion, suburban sprawl, concentration and displacement of the centrality. These have metamorphosed and transformed its original structure functions and its traditional architecture. Subsequently, they decontextualized this entity which has caused a malfunction compared to the rest of the Groupement Tlemcen, Chetouane and Mansura. From an organizational point of view, the medina of Tlemcen presents a mode of organization urbanistic of these spaces identical to that of the Maghreb medinas or Arab-Muslim cities usually dictated by the Chariâa El Islamia. Some urban writers or historians have qualified him agglomeration "without plan". But after analyzing its organization we find it very well organized so it is reflected before. Its frame or its morphological structure is of shape radio- concentric and organic which adapts and integrates perfectly with the natural site which makes it a true vernacular city. It is surrounded by solid walls and very high but unfortunately most have disappeared through time. The medina of Tlemcen is composed of homogeneous spaces and hierarchies organized around three important poles forming a central core. The latter are El Mechouar (editorial pole), El Kissaria (economic pole) and the great mosque (religious pole). These poles are added to a main road that develops from East to West of Bâb El Akaba (Agadir) to the gate of Fes (western limit of Tagrart). The latter represents the axis urban stratification where streets and alleys originate and serve the residential areas. An open central space brings together these three poles which is materialized by a big place called El Blasse. At the level of this urbanistic heart of the city we find shops and craftsmen especially to side of the big mosque. These activities are divided and prioritized according to their importance and nuisance (noise or pollution) they provide. This organization is part of a big urban system where the homogeneity of the latter also derives from the elements of composition full urban and empty (construction, street, square ...) whether from morphological point of view or stylistic and the interweaving and joining of these urban elements. Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND) 52 International Journal of Human Settlements Vol. 1 . Nr. 2 . 2017