Chlef
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Chlef الشلف |
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Coa Chlef.png
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 Location of Chlef, Algeria within Chlef Province |
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 Chlef
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| Coordinates: 36°13′N 1°20′E / 36.217°N 1.333°ECoordinates: 36°13′N 1°20′E / 36.217°N 1.333°E | |
| Country |
 Algeria
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| Province | Chlef Province |
| District | Chlef District |
| Elevation | 114 m (374 ft) |
| Population (2008) | |
| • Total | 178,616 |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| Postal code | 02000 |
| Climate | Csa |
Chlef (Arabic: الشلف) is the capital of Chlef Province, Algeria. Located in the north of Algeria, 200 kilometres (120 mi) west of the capital, Algiers, it was founded in 1843, as Orléansville, on the ruins of Roman Castellum Tingitanum. In 1962, it was renamed Al-Asnam. The present name, Chlef, which it bears since 1980, is derived from the name of the longest river in Algeria.
It is home to the soccer club ASO Chlef, the Hassiba Ben Bouali university, and the ruins of the basilica of Reparatus, who was bishop of Castellum Tingitanum from 465 to 475. A corner of the flooring of the basilica contained a mosaic labyrinth, the oldest known example of Christian use of this motif.
Chlef lies in a valley at an elevation of 114 metres (374 ft) between two ranges of hills to the north and west. The city is surrounded by farmland; there are scattered trees both in the valley and on the hills.
The Roman citadel, Castellum Tingitanum, was a city of the Roman province of Mauretania Caesariensis. The site became known as Al-Asnam (Arabic for "sculptures") during the Umayyad Caliphate period. It covered an area of 600 by 300 metres (1,970 by 980 feet) and contained many statues.
A Christian basilica dating back to the reign of the Emperor Constantine was discovered here, with an elaborate mosaic. This is the oldest church to be found in Africa
No details are known about the ancient bishopric.
It was revived nominally as a Roman Catholic titular see in 1965, and was filled regularly since.
Chellif Valley was from the 15th century the territory of the Bedouin Ouled Kosseir, who settled there under the leadership of Hamou El Kosseir (H'ammü'l-Quççayri) having displaced the indigenous Berber tribes. This tribe is a tribal Djouadi (military nobility). If they even call themselves descendants of the Beni Makhzum (Either Khaled Ibn El Walid). Some historians believe that it belongs to the Confederation of Ibn Suwayd Zoghba of Beni Hillal and therefore cousins of Mehal, other military nobility.
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