The image of Algeria on the journey of Ibn Hammadush al –Djazairi

Abstract

Algerian journeys to the Far Maghreb fall within a cognitive, cultural, and commercial context, as these journeys were not merely geographic movements, but served as a means to record observations of cities. Travel literature contributed to presenting a clear image of urban spaces by documenting customs, values, and civilizational landmarks, making it an important source for studying the cultural history of Maghreb cities.
The travel account of Abd al-Razzaq Ibn Hammadush , entitled "Lisan al-Maqal fi al-Naba' 'an al-Nasab wa al-Hal", stands as a representative model of this tradition during the eighteenth century , offering descriptions of social, cultural, and economic aspects of the city of Algiers, then the capital of the Ottoman state .
The text goes beyond mere descriptive narration, opening the way for analysis and critical reading,, thereby enabling the study – based on the data extracted from the text to approach the image of the city of Algiers as depicted in the travel narrative, and to discern its architectural features .
Through the study of this text, the research aims to highlight how travel literature contributed to shaping the representation of the city, and to reveal the relationship between the traveller's subjective perspective and urban reality, thereby enhancing the understanding of Algiers image in eighteenth-century travel consciousness and confirming the scholarly value of travel literature as a historical and civilizational document.