Chakhchoukha
Thin hand-rolled flatbread torn into pieces and soaked in a rich lamb and chickpea sauce. The dish of big family days.
Traditions · تقاليد
Carved, cooked and sung by hand
Constantine keeps its heritage alive in its arches, its kitchens and its music. Here is a taste of what you will see, eat and hear.
قسنطينةArchitecture · Food · Culture
Architecture
Arches, domes and golden clocks
Islamic geometry and European façades stand side by side. Look up while you walk: the details are everywhere.
The great dome
The Emir Abdelkader Mosque, opened in 1994, is one of the largest in Africa.
Carved façades
Rows of arches and floral reliefs climbing to the roofline.
Muqarnas
Honeycomb vaults and star patterns carved in plaster and stone.
Minarets of the medina
Slender towers rising between the streets of the old town.
Gilded clocks
Turn-of-the-century façades decorated with lions, figures and gold.
Hidden towers
Turn a corner in the old town and a tower appears at the end of the lane.
The table
A cuisine of patience
Constantine's dishes are made slowly, by hand, often for celebrations. These are the ones to look for on your plate.
Trida
Tiny squares of hand-made pasta, steamed and served with a red sauce, chicken or lamb. A Constantine signature.
Jari frik
A fragrant soup of green cracked wheat, herbs and meat. In Ramadan, no evening table in the city goes without it.
Tajine lahlou
The sweet tajine: lamb with prunes, apricots, almonds and orange blossom water. Sweet and savoury, as the city likes it.
Craving something sweet? Our jawzia, baklawa and tamina are made in Constantine.
Visit our shop
Living culture
Music, cloth and copper
01
Malouf
The Andalusian music of Constantine, brought by families from al-Andalus and kept alive for centuries. You will hear the oud and violin at weddings and in the old cafés.
02
The gandoura
The ceremonial dress of Constantine, in deep velvet embroidered with gold thread. Brides wear it proudly and each pattern carries a meaning.
03
The m'laya
The black veil once worn by the women of the East. Local tradition says it began as a sign of mourning for Salah Bey.
04
Engraved copper
Trays, jugs and coffee sets hammered and chiselled by hand. The copper workshops of the old town still ring with the sound of the hammer.