Arzew
|
Arzew أرزيو |
|
|---|---|
| Municipality | |
| Arzew | |
View of Arzew with municipality sign
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|
 Location of Arzew within Oran Province |
|
 Arzew
|
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| Coordinates: 35°51′N 0°19′W / 35.850°N 0.317°WCoordinates: 35°51′N 0°19′W / 35.850°N 0.317°W | |
| Country |
 Algeria
|
| Province | Oran |
| District | Arzew (seat) |
| Government | |
| • PMA Seats | 15 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 64 km2 (25 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 72 m (236 ft) |
| Population (2006) | |
| • Total | 91,400 |
| • Density | 1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi) |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+01) |
| Postal code | 31200 |
| ONS code | 3106 |
Arzew or Arzeu (Arabic: أرزيو Berber; erziouw) is a port city in Algeria, 25 miles (40 km) from Oran. It is the capital of Arzew District, Oran Province.
Like the rest of North Africa, the site of modern-day Arzew was originally inhabited by the Berbers. Arzew's original Berber population came mainly from the nearby town of Bethioua, families from nearby Mostaganem, Kabyles that were deported there, as well as some semi-nomadic tribe called Hamian.
It was named Arsenaria, or Portus Magnus (Great Harbour) under the Roman Empire (the latter name is the one that can be seen in its former coat of arms). It has several Roman remains, mosaics, and artworks, which were deplaced to the museum of nearby Oran. During Roman times, Arzew's exports used to be grain and salt. The Vandals destroyed Portus Magnus in 429/430.
Since the Muslim conquests, it regained some importance, as it was noted by the geographer El Bekri, during his description of North Africa (1068) where he described the Roman ruins as Arzao, an abandoned Roman port. The Almohads refounded the port in 1162. Under the Ziyanids, the port, located near the Ziyanid Tlemcen was renamed to Marsa Ben Zian (i.e. the port of the Zian tribe).
On 10 July 1833, the French forces coming from Oran went further east and occupied the locality, which was then simply called Marsa (i.e. port). After years of war (ended by the Treaty of Desmichels) Arzew became a legal possession of France, with its name transliterated in Arabic as Arziou (Arziw) and in French as Arzowe.
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Wikipedia