The city of Oran
The city of Oran la radieuse (el Bahia) is a Mediterranean city, it is located 432 km west of Algiers, it is limited to the north by the Mediterranean, to the west by Ain-témouchent, to the south by Sidi-bel-abbes and Mascara, and to the east by Mostaganem. The number of inhabitants is 1,213,839 over an area of 2,114 km². Oran is located at the end of a bay open to the north and directly dominated to the west by the Aïdour mountain. The agglomeration is staged on both sides of the deep ravine of the Rhi wadi, now covered. Oran is an industrial center (industrial zone of Arzew, Hassi Ameur etc…) and university city (University of sciences of technology (USTO), university of Oran 1, university of Oran 1 etc…) . Its name means the two lions (wahran) in Berber. It refers to the lions that lived for a while at the lion mountain located a few kilometers from the city.
Histoire
Oran was founded in the 10th century by Andalusian-Moorish merchants. It was occupied by the Spaniards in 1509. From 1708 to 1732 and from 1791 to 1831, the city was owned by the Sublime Porte (Ottoman Empire). In 1831, the city like the rest of the country became a French colony. The city was prefecture of the department of Oran which occupied the entire west. During the Second World War, in 1940 (July 3), the French fleet of the Vichy government based in Mers-el-Kébir, was bombarded by the English fleet, coming from Gibraltar (1000 dead). On November 8, 1942, it was the turn of the Anglo-Americans to land, a prelude to the landing in Italy.
Tourism
For a pleasant stay, you will find several very comfortable hotels in Oran and many restaurants serving Algerian specialities. Tourists will be able to visit cinemas, cultural centers, the national theatre, open-air theatre, the museum, the old town of Oran, the Sidi El Houari district, the municipal garden, Medina Djedida with its handicrafts, the cathedral , the Djebel Murdjadjo, and the neighboring seaside resorts. The international airport of Es-Senia is 12 km from the city center. You can also go to Oran by Ferries from the ports of Marseille, Sète, Alicante and Almería.