Mapping Mosques of Old Algiers Before the French Colonial Demolitions: Through Albert Devoulx Manuscript (1870)

A precolonial map of Algiers' Casbah, reconstructed from an 1870 manuscript by Albert Devoulx, reveals the extent of French colonial demolition. Of the 167 religious buildings documented before French occupation, only 47 remained by Devoulx's time. This study combines historical manuscripts, military sketches, and literature with modern georeferencing techniques (using ARC-GIS 10.6) to overlay past data on current satellite imagery. The findings shed light on the Casbah's urban transformation, offering insights into colonial historiography while raising awareness about its architectural heritage.

Ben-Hamouche, M. (2020). Mapping Mosques of Old Algiers Before the French Colonial Demolitions: Through Albert Devoulx Manuscript (1870). Journal of Urban History, 48(6), 1324–1344. https://doi.org/10.1177/0096144220976123