American Heritage Dictionary:
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Con·stan·tine
A city of northeast Algeria east of Algiers. It was founded by Carthaginians and was the capital and commercial center of Numidia. Destroyed in warfare in A.D. 311, it was rebuilt by Constantine I and named in his honor. Population: 450,000.
Constantine
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Constantine
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia:
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Constantine
City (pop., 2004 est.: 544,700), northeastern Algeria. A natural fortress, it is situated on a rocky height some 800 ft (250 m) above the Rhumel River valley. By the 3rd century it was one of Numidia's most important towns, and it reached its apex of prosperity under Micipsa in the 2nd century . Ruined in subsequent wars, it was restored in 313 and renamed for its patron, the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. Overrun by the Arabs in the 7th century, it was ruled by a series of Arab and Berber (Amazigh) dynasties and, intermittently, by the Ottoman Empire until it was captured by the French in 1837. Occupied in 1942 by U.S. troops, it was an important Allied staging area in World War II (193945). The city retains its medieval walls, and there are Roman ruins nearby. It is an agricultural market for the surrounding area.
For more information on Constantine, visit Britannica.com.
Oxford Dictionary of Saints:
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Constantine
Constantine (date unknown), Cornish chieftain and martyr (?). The Cornish tradition is that he was converted by Petroc, became a monk, and founded churches in Devon and Cornwall. These are recalled by two places in Cornwall called Constantine: one near Padstow, the other on the banks of the Helford river in SW. Cornwall. This was the larger of the two and survived as a monastery until the 11th century. He was also patron of the Devon churches of Milton Abbot and Dunsford.
There are also confused traditions in both Scotland and Ireland concerning Constantine, a king who became a monk. The Scottish tradition says that he was martyred at Kintyre in 576.
Feast in Cornwall and Wales: 9 March; in Scotland, 11 March.
Bibliography
Click here for a list of abbreviations used in this bibliography.
- G. H. Doble, The Saints of Cornwall, ii (1962), 15–24
Oxford Dictionary of British History:
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Constantine
Constantine (c.274-337), first Christian Roman emperor (306-37), known as ‘the Great’. Born at Naissus (now Nis), Constantine was the son of Constantius I by Helena. In 305 Constantius succeeded as Augustus (senior emperor) of the West. Constantine fled from the court of Galerius, eastern Augustus, in time to be at his father's death-bed at York in 306. He was illegally proclaimed Augustus by the army there. In 312 he invaded Italy and defeated Maxentius near Rome. By 324 Constantine was sole Augustus. Constantine promoted Christianity financially, legally, and theologically, being baptized on his death-bed in 337. He probably revisited Britain in 312 and 314, taking the title Britannicus in 315.
Columbia Encyclopedia:
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Constantine
Constantine (kŏn'stəntēn), ancient Cirta, city (1998 pop. 462,187), capital of Constantine dept., NE Algeria, on the gorge of the Rhumel River. A major inland city, it is the railhead of a prosperous and diverse agricultural area. Constantine is also a center of the grain trade and has flour mills, a tractor factory, and industries producing textiles and leather goods. Products made by local artisans are economically important. Founded by Carthaginians (who called it Sarim Batim), Constantine became the capital and commercial center of Numidia and was named Cirta [the city]. Under Roman rule it was a major grain-shipping point and one of the wealthiest cities of Africa. Destroyed (A.D. 311) during the war preceding the accession of Constantine I, it was rebuilt by Constantine himself and renamed in his honor. The city was pillaged by the Vandals in the 5th cent. and later became an object of contention among various Muslim dynasties. The Turks captured it in the 16th cent. and made it a provincial capital. By the time of the French conquest in 1837 the district governor of Constantine had become virtually independent of the Ottoman Empire. Modern Constantine is the seat of a Roman Catholic bishop, a university, and a Muslim school of higher education.
Oxford Dictionary of British Place Names:
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Constantine
Gale Encyclopedia of the Mideast & N. Africa:
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Constantine
One of Algeria's major cities.
Constantine is located about 330 miles (530 km) east of the capital, Algiers, near the coast, with a population of 909,700 (2002). While known as a trading center, Constantine is best known for its association with the so-called Constantine plan, an attempt announced by the French in 1958 to tie Algeria economically to the métropole (the French nation) through a number of rural and industrial development plans. After independence in 1964, Constantine became an important educational center with the country's only Islamic university.
— DIRK VANDEWALLE
Dialing Code:
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The telephone dialing code for: Constantine, Algeria
The country code is: 213
The city code is: 4
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
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Constantine, Algeria
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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2010) |
| Constantine قسنطينة, Qusanṭīnah also known as Kasantina |
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|---|---|---|---|
| — Commune and city — | |||
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| Nickname(s): city of bridges | |||
 Constantine
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| Coordinates: 36°21′N 6°36′E / 36.35°N 6.6°ECoordinates: 36°21′N 6°36′E / 36.35°N 6.6°E | |||
| Country |  Algeria |
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| Province | Constantine Province | ||
| District | Constantine District | ||
| Government | |||
| • President | A. Chibane (2007-2012) | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 2,288 km2 (883 sq mi) | ||
| Population (2008)2008 census [1] | |||
| • Total | 448,374 | ||
| • Density | 200/km2 (510/sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) | ||
Constantine (Arabic: قسنطينة, Qusanṭīnah, also spelled Qasentina also spelled as Kasantina) is the capital of Constantine Province in north-eastern Algeria. It was the capital of the same-named French département until 1962. Slightly inland, it is about 80 kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, on the banks of Rhumel river. Regarded as the capital of eastern Algeria and the centre of its region, Constantine has a population of 448,374 (1,000,000 with the agglomeration), making it the third largest city in the country after Algiers and Oran. There are museums and important historical sites around the city (one of the most beautiful one is the Palais du Bey, in the casbah). It is often referred to as the "City of Bridges" due to the numerous picturesque bridges connecting the mountains the city is built on.
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History
The city was originally created by the Phoenicians, who called it Sarim Batim (royal city). Later it was renamed Cirta, by the Numidian king Syphax, who turned it into his capital. The city was taken over by Numidia, the country of the Berber people, after the Phoenicians were defeated by Rome in the Third Punic War. In 112 BC the city was occupied by Jugurtha who defeated his half-brother Adherbal. The city later served as the base for Roman generals Quintus Caecilius Metellus Numidicus and Gaius Marius in their war against Jugurtha. Later, with the removal of King Juba I and the remaining supporters of Pompey in Africa (c. 46), Julius Caesar gave special rights to the citizens of Cirta, now known as Colonia Sittlanorum.
In 311, during the civil war between emperor Maxentius and usurper Domitius Alexander (a former governor of Africa), the city was destroyed. Rebuilt in 313, it was subsequently named after emperor Constantine the Great, who had defeated Maxentius. Conquered by the Vandals in 432, Constantine returned to the Byzantine Exarchate of Africa (i.e. North Africa) from 534 to 697. It was conquered by the Arabs in the 7th century, receiving the name of Qusantina.
The city recovered and in 12th century was again a prosperous market, with connection to Pisa, Genoa and Venice. Since 1529 it was intermittently part of Ottoman Empire, ruled by a Turkish bey (governor) subordinate to the dey of Algiers. Salah Bey, who ruled the city in 1770–1792, greatly embellished it and built much of the Muslim architecture still visible today.
In 1826 the last Bey, Ahmed Bey ben Mohamed Chérif, became the new head of state. He led a fierce resistance against French forces, which invaded Algeria four years later. By 13 October 1837, the territory was captured by France, and from 1848 on until 1962 it was an integral part of the French motherland and centre of the Constantine Département.
In World War II, during the campaign in North Africa (1942–43), Constantine and the nearby city of Sétif were used by the Allied forces as operational bases.
In 1880, while working in the military hospital in Constantine, Algeria, Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran discovered that the cause of malaria is a protozoan, after observing the parasites in a blood smear taken from a soldier who had just died of malaria.[1] For this, he received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine.[1] This was the first time that protozoa were shown to be a cause of disease. His work helped inspire researchers and veterinarians today to try and find a cure for malaria in animals.[1]
Geography
Constantine is situated on a plateau at 640 metres (2,100 ft) above sea level. The city is framed by a deep ravine and has a dramatic appearance. The city is very picturesque with a number of bridges over Rhumel river and a viaduct crossing the ravine. The ravine is crossed by four bridges, including Pont Sidi M'Cid. Constantine is the railhead of a prosperous and diverse agricultural area. It also a centre of the grain trade and has flour mills, a tractor factory, and industries producing textiles, wool, linen and leather goods.[citation needed] Algeria and Tunisia serve as its markets.
Climate
| Climate data for Constantine | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 78.8 (26.0) |
77.9 (25.5) |
82.8 (28.2) |
88.9 (31.6) |
94.1 (34.5) |
101.7 (38.7) |
112.1 (44.5) |
110.8 (43.8) |
102.2 (39.0) |
93.6 (34.2) |
84.4 (29.1) |
78.4 (25.8) |
112.1 (44.5) |
| Average high °F (°C) | 56.1 (13.4) |
56.7 (13.7) |
60.4 (15.8) |
65.5 (18.6) |
73.2 (22.9) |
79.3 (26.3) |
86.9 (30.5) |
87.8 (31.0) |
77.4 (25.2) |
69.3 (20.7) |
61.0 (16.1) |
55.4 (13.0) |
69.08 (20.60) |
| Average low °F (°C) | 38.3 (3.5) |
38.8 (3.8) |
40.5 (4.7) |
44.6 (7.0) |
52.7 (11.5) |
56.5 (13.6) |
61.2 (16.2) |
61.2 (16.2) |
56.7 (13.7) |
50.9 (10.5) |
45.3 (7.4) |
38.1 (3.4) |
48.73 (9.29) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 14.5 (−9.7) |
17.1 (−8.3) |
23.4 (−4.8) |
32.5 (0.3) |
39.6 (4.2) |
40.8 (4.9) |
43.0 (6.1) |
42.8 (6.0) |
39.6 (4.2) |
31.8 (−0.1) |
26.8 (−2.9) |
14.9 (−9.5) |
14.5 (−9.7) |
| Precipitation inches (mm) | 2.457 (62.4) |
2.476 (62.9) |
1.803 (45.8) |
1.831 (46.5) |
1.138 (28.9) |
0.685 (17.4) |
0.634 (16.1) |
0.602 (15.3) |
0.85 (21.6) |
1.346 (34.2) |
2.051 (52.1) |
2.657 (67.5) |
18.48 (469.4) |
| Source: [2] | |||||||||||||
People
Main page: People from Constantine, Algeria
Constantine is the native city of the Islamic reformer Ben Badis. It is also the hometown of many noteworthy people in Algeria and France.
- Ben Badis, Islamic reformer and philosopher
- Malek Bennabi, philosopher
- Masinissa, the first King of Numidia
- Princess Charlotte, Duchess of Valentinois, the daughter of Louis II, Prince of Monaco, and the mother of Prince Rainier III
- Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, Nobel Prize winner in Physics
- Charles-Michel Marle, mathematician
- Hassiba Boulmerka, athlete, World and Olympic Champion; she is the first Algerian to win an Olympic title
- Ahlam Mosteghanemi, writer
- Ahmed Bey, the last Bey of Constantine
- Rabah Bitat, the third President of Algeria
- Sidi Nemdil, Algerian Turk, Islamic and nationalist from Nemdil family
- Enrico Macias, French singer
- Cheb i Sabbah, DJ, musician and composer
- Jean-Michel Atlan, artist
- Alphonse Halimi, world champion boxer
- Fatiha Bourbia, architect
- Rachid Khalef, architect
- Kateb Yacine, writer
- Maurice Boitel, artist
- Samir Nasri, French football star who currently plays in England
- Ali Saïdi-Sief, sub-champion in the 5000 m run at the 2000 Summer Olympics
- Sandra Laoura, Olympic medallist
- Djamel Eddine Laouisset,University Professor,writer currently lives in UAE
Main sights
The city is framed by a deep ravine and has a dramatic appearance. The city is very picturesque with a number of bridges and a viaduct crossing the ravine.
- Gustave Mercier Museum (displays of ancient and modern art).
- Abd al Hamid Ben Badis Mosque.
- The Constantine Casbah.
- Emir Abd al-Qadir University and Mosque.
- Soumma Mausoleum
- Massinissa's Mausoleum
- The Palace of Ahmed Bey.
- Ruins of the Antonian Roman aqueduct.
- Ben Abdelmalek Stadium
Nearby is the Roman city of Tiddis and the megalithic monuments and burial grounds at Djebel Mazala Salluste.
The City Of Bridges
The topography of the city is unique and it determines the need for bridges. At the end of the XIX century, Guy de Maupassant wrote: "Eight bridges used to cross this ravine. Six of these bridges are in ruins today." Today the most important bridges are:
- the suspension bridge also named Sidi-M'Cid (1912) (168m long),
- the El-Kantara bridge which leads toward north,
- the Sidi Rached bridge (1912), a long viaduct of 447ms and 27 arches, built by Paul Séjourné,
- the Devil's bridge,
- the Falls bridge,
- the Perregaux bridge.
- the new cable-stayed bridge of Constantine, designed by Dissing+Weitling architecture
- the city des chasseurs bridge, which connect the city( cite des chasseurs) to the university site
Education
Constantine has multiple universities: Mentouri, designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, and Algerian architect Rashid Hassaine, Zerzara, and the Islamic University of El amir Abdelkader, Constantine will have another university town under construction in the nouvelle ville
International relations
{{Main|List_of_twin_towns_and_sister_cities_in_Africa#Algeria|l1=List of twin towns and sister cities in Algeria}
Transportation
Constantine is served by Mohamed Boudiaf International Airport.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Constantine is twinned with:
References
- ^ a b c Bruce-Chuvatt LJ (July 1981). "Alphonse Laveran's discovery 100 years ago and today's global fight against malaria". J R Soc Med 74 (7): 531–6. PMC 1439072. PMID 7021827. http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?tool=pmcentrez&artid=1439072.
- ^ "meteo-constantine". meteo-algerie.org. http://meteo-algerie.org/meteo-constantine. Retrieved June 28, 2011.
- ^ Jérôme Steffenino, Marguerite Masson. "Ville de Grenoble - Coopérations et villes jumelles". Grenoble.fr. http://www.grenoble.fr/jsp/site/Portal.jsp?page_id=92. Retrieved 2009-10-29.[dead link]
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Constantine, Algeria |
- Constantine Official website
- WorldStatesmen- Algeria
- Catholic Encyclopedia article
- Future cable-stayed bridge in Constantine
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American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 1994-2012 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
Oxford Dictionary of Saints
The Oxford Dictionary of Saints. Copyright © David Hugh Farmer 1978, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2003, 2004. All rights reserved.
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Oxford Dictionary of British History
A Dictionary of British History. Copyright © 2001, 2004 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
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Columbia Encyclopedia
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www.cc.columbia.edu/cu/cup/.
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Oxford Dictionary of British Place Names
© 2003 A.D. Mills Oxford University Press.
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Gale Encyclopedia of the Mideast & N. Africa
Encyclopedia of the Modern Middle East and North Africa. Copyright © 2004 by The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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