The state of Algiers has entered a race against time to finish the last remaining works on the Independence Park project, which connects the historical landmark, the Martyr’s Shrine, to the Sabalat space. This happens at a time when the works on the balconies overlooking the Gulf of Algiers have been completed and the pedestrian paths have begun to be decorated, to reach Dar Abdel Latif, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Cave of Sarfontes, and the Garden of Experiments. It is a park that serves as another building block to enhance the joy of the capital and establishes a reconciling relationship between the city and the sea.
The visitor to the vicinity of the Martyr’s Shrine, especially the side overlooking the neighborhoods of Belouizdad and El Hamma Park, will notice the balconies of the historical landmark, the Martyr’s Shrine, overlooking the Gulf of Algiers. The works have been completed, and they occupied an important part in the Independence Park project.
There are three (3) balconies, and the area of each balcony ranges between 21 and 22 square meters. According to the contract signed between the state of Algeria, the owner of the project, and the company (Ciro Est), which hails from the state of Batna, the cost of completing it amounted to 5.7 million euros, while decorating it with plants and flowers in a way that gives it a more attractive appearance for visitors. These balconies will add aesthetic value to the historical landmark and its surroundings, which will increase the attractiveness of the place, if not turn it into a huge attraction for visitors who will enjoy a panoramic view of the Gulf of Algiers that they have never experienced before, day and night, after the place was on a slope and extremely neglected.
Speed up the work…
Until now, the implementation of the strategic vision for developing and modernizing the capital, which falls within the Blue Plan, continues to receive special attention from the Minister and Governor of Algiers, who wants the city of Algiers to regain its urban, historical, cultural and aesthetic rights and identity so that it can assume a privileged position among the five (5) top cities in the Mediterranean. A few days ago, he inspected the works of the Istiklal Park project, starting from the balconies, all the way to the bridge linking Al-Hamma Park to the Al-Sablat space.
Sources connected to the project confirm that those in charge of managing public affairs in the state of Algiers have become keen to speed up the last remaining works, in a step to receive the project on the occasion of the National Independence Day, which falls on the 5th of next July, as evidenced by the fact that the Minister Governor was somewhat keen to give instructions to the company in charge of the works in order to speed up the completion process and respect technical standards.
Connecting the garden with cables
Eyewitnesses also indicate that the preparation of paths and walkways designated for pedestrians and people of determination is in the final stage of renovations, while the work to complete public lighting along the path from the Martyr’s Shrine to El Hamma, passing through the Villa Abdel Latif, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Cave of Sarfontes and the El Hamma Garden, has reached an advanced stage, accompanied by the planting of plants and flowers and the installation of sidewalks, in a clear indication that the park will be a destination open to visitors day and night in a step to restore… The joy of the capital.
The visitor to the vicinity of the Garden of Experiments can see the work of linking the garden to the Al-Sablat space via an overpass, as the Algiers state authorities partially closed the Jaish Al-Tahrir Street towards Algiers Central, in front of traffic on a temporary basis, in order to carry out the work of placing the beams of the pedestrian overpass linking the Experimental Park to Al-Hamma and the seawater desalination plant in Al-Sablat.
According to the development plan prepared by the state of Algiers, this infrastructure, including the completion of balconies, a path for pedestrians, and the preparation of the plateaus of the Martyr’s Shrine, all the way to the Garden of Experiments in Hamma, is among the main axes of preparing the urban fabric of the capital within the framework of its strategic plan for its development by the horizon of 2030.
New aerial lift
It is also expected, according to what was stated in the development plan, the completion of a new aerial elevator that supports the old elevator, facilitating what is called the cross-flow of visitors from the Martyr’s Shrine to Belouizdad, and vice versa… It also allows them to access other historical, cultural and artistic monuments along the tourist route, at a time when it indicates the completion of a huge aquarium at the level of the vicinity of the Hamma Library in which marine animals are displayed, in addition to the completion of a public square, with the creation of a sports and cultural entertainment space equipped with an open-air theatre, which will give It makes the Experience Park and other attractions more attractive, and even creates a functional relationship between the city and the sea.
Near the Sofital Hotel, construction works are currently underway to complete a public square, acarium, and sports and entertainment spaces. The state of Algiers, based on sources connected to Independence Park, arranges to propose spaces for rest along the park’s path, others for entertainment, and even others to host major demonstrations.
Istiklal Park, whose completion work began at the beginning of 2025, extends over a length of 4.8 km, linking the Shrine of the Martyr and the Sabalat Park, passing through several historical, cultural and artistic landmarks, including Villa Abdel Latif, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Cave of Sarfontes, the National Library in Hamma, and the Garden of Experiments.
Revitalizing historical monuments
This tourist route is endowed with historical and cultural symbolism. The shrine of the martyr, which is part of this route, is a national edifice that links the revolutionary past and the sovereign present, and embodies Algeria’s collective memory before the world. In 1541, the plateau witnessed a battle against the Crusade led by Charlecan, as the artillery fired from it contributed to destroying enemy ships. It was also a place for the torture of Algerians, in the Villa (Sezini), and the group of 22 even gathered in the place. June 1954 to prepare for the outbreak of the revolution. It is a place that links the history of popular resistance, the liberation revolution, and the suffering of Algerians during the colonial era.
From a political standpoint, the presence of this landmark in the capital made it part of the official protocol when receiving heads of state and delegations in Algeria.
The symbolism of this historical tourist route will be complemented by the cultural and artistic symbolism of Dar Abdel Latif, which was built in the year 1715 and belongs to Abdel Latif, one of the most prominent figures in Algeria. It was transformed during the colonial era into a space for French artists, before it was classified as a historical monument in 1967. It then knew another fate after it was restored and reopened in 2008 and turned into the headquarters of the Algerian Agency for Cultural Radiation.
Sarfontes Cave
It is expected that Independence Park will derive its value and aesthetics from the symbolism of the Sarfuentes Cave in the Belouizdad area, which extends 7 meters in length, and is a historical witness to the birth of the literary creativity of the Spanish writer Miguel de Sarfuentes, which later appeared in the novel (Don Quixote), thereby opening a bridge of communication between Algerian and Spanish culture. Rather, it is a refuge that documents Sarfuentes’ repeated attempts to escape captivity (1575-1580), when he was returned. It was prepared in 2006 as a result of joint work between the Algerian and Spanish governments.
While awaiting the opening of the doors of Independence Park, which is an extension of the symbolism of the Martyr’s Shrine, which documents the memory of the Algerian revolution and the spirit of struggle of a people who fought colonialism so desperately, the Cave of Sarfontes will constitute another brick on the way to enriching this tourist destination full of what is cultural and historical, as it constitutes an archaeological site documenting a period of overlap between the Ottoman, Algerian and Spanish cultures. Today, it has been transformed into a tourist attraction open to visitors and includes a small garden and sculptures.
It is one of the evidences that enhance cultural tourism, especially since the World Tourism Organization indicated that the waves of tourists in the world have tended in recent years to reveal their cultural amazement.
Art Museum
The bottom line is that the deep redevelopment processes, in light of the accelerating context of “metropolis” that the capital is experiencing, requires a new dynamic that will redraw the features of the city of Algiers, at a time when challenges related to social balance and pressure on infrastructure are increasing.
When a visitor to Independence Park opens its doors, the visitor can also stop by the National Museum of Fine Arts and live an experience that combines history, nature, and art, as it includes more than 8,000 works of art, including European paintings dating back to the 15th century, including the works of Etienne Digne, along with Muhammad Issiakhem, not to mention the activities it organizes, such as exhibitions and children’s workshops.
It also displays classic and modern works, and is even a museum that will enhance the identity of Independence Park and make it a diverse path that combines culture and art, and from the capital is a space over which history, sea, culture and art intersect.
An unrepeatable experience..
Al Hamma Park, as a link in the path of Independence Park, can give it an environmental and scientific dimension in addition to the fact that it includes 2,500 plant species, which qualifies the park to have a global character from a biological standpoint. It is also a park that performs an educational function, receiving school and university students and providing spaces for field education, which makes the park have an educational character.
In addition, Hamma Park is considered one of the rarest parks in Africa and the most beautiful in the world. Rather, it is a park that documents the historical memory of the capital, because it was founded in 1932, so linking it to Independence Park will give it cultural and environmental depth.
Accordingly, the convergence of the historical, cultural, artistic, environmental and scientific dimensions in a tourist trail such as Independence Park will make its visitors in the future live an experience that will not be repeated elsewhere. It is a trail that allows you to contemplate the evidence of collective memory and enjoy art to enjoy nature. It makes the capital a city where the sea meets memory, culture and art… These are elements that make this tourist trail a contributor to creating a city’s identity.
The park meets the sea..
The ongoing work at the level of Al-Hamma Park to stabilize the beams of the bridge that connects Al-Hamma Park to the Al-Sablat space reflects one of the links linking the park (Istiklal) to the waterfront. Experts related to urban planning point out that linking Istiklal Park to the sea will give the city of Algiers a new urban identity, where the sea merges with cultural and artistic spaces. Indeed, opening the park on the waterfront will create opportunities for investment in restaurants, cafes, and marine activities.
The visitor can live a unique tourist experience that starts from the Martyr’s Shrine and ends with the sea, passing through Abdel Latif’s House, the Sarfontes Grotto, the National Museum of Fine Arts, and then El Hamma Park.
