Oran

Oran (Arabic: وَهران, Wahran) is the second largest city in Algeria and the capital of Oran province, with more than 1,500,000 people.

Understand
Oran's beautiful sea shore, constructed under French rule, was inspired by Nice's seafront. It consists of a long boulevard lined with cafés, restaurants, and ice cream shops. The boulevard also offers a splendid view of the sea, the harbour, Santa Cruz and the cliffs ("les Falaises"). It was renamed "Boulevard de l'ALN" by the government after the independence but it is still called Front de Mer by the locals.

History
Present-day Oran was founded in 903 by the Azdaja and Ajissa Berbers who lived in the area. It was captured by the Castilians under Cardinal Cisneros in 1509, and Spanish sovereignty lasted until 170 when the city was conquered by the Algerians during the Siege of Oran (1707–1708). Spain recaptured the city in 1732. However, its value as a trading post had decreased greatly, so during the reign of King Charles IV the city was recaptured in 1790-1792 by a coalition of Algerian troops against Spain which resulted in victory for the bey of Oran despite the many attempts in 1563. The beylik lasted until 183, when the city fell to the French.

Under French rule during the 19th and 20th centuries, Oran was the capital of a département of the same name. In July 1940, the British navy shelled French warships in the port after they refused a British request to surrender; this action was taken to ensure the fleet would not fall into German hands, as the Nazis had defeated France and occupied Paris. The Vichy government held Oran during World War II until its capture by the Allies in late 1942, during Operation Torch.

Before the Algerian War, 1954–1962, Oran had one of the highest proportions of Europeans of any city in North Africa. In July 1962, after a ceasefire and accords with France, a mob attacked European neighbourhoods and massacred hundreds of Europeans in Oran, This triggered a larger exodus of Europeans to France, which was already underway. Shortly after the end of the war, most of the Europeans and Algerian Jews living in Oran fled to France. In less than three months, Oran lost about half its population.

By plane

 * Air Algérie (Adrar, Algiers, Alicante, Annaba, Bechar, Brussels—Seasonal--, Casablanca, Constantine, Geneva, Hassi Messaoud, In Amenas, Jeddah, Lyon, Marseille, Paris-Orly, Ouargla, Toulouse)
 * Air France (Paris CDG, Toulouse)
 * Iberia (Madrid)
 * Tassili Airlines (Algiers, Hassi R'mel)
 * Transavia (Lyon, Montpellier, Nantes, Paris ORLY)
 * Tunisair (Tunis)
 * Turkish Airlines (Istanbul)
 * Vueling (Alicante, Barcelona)
 * Volotea (Bordeaux, Marseille)
 * Volotea (Bordeaux, Marseille)

By train


Oran is a major railway terminus with daily trains from most Algerian cities. Trains from the capital Algiers are plentiful, however, with several services daily. Other cities along the Mediterranean coast and in Northwest Algeria also have daily trains to Oran. Additional routes include an overnight train from Bechar, deep into the Sahara and about halfway from Mauritania. While a railway line continues to Morocco, the border has been closed for decades due to political conflict.

All services are operated by SNTF, timetables are published at their website.



By boat
One can also reach Oran by ferries from the ports of Marseilles as well as Alicante and Almería in Spain, via the national company Algérie Ferries or Trasmediterranea.



By foot
Walking is the obvious mode of transport within the city centre.

By bus

 * 11 Which will take you from the east to west of the city. From Hai El Sabah to Place 1er Novembre
 * 51 From USTO UNIVERSITY to M'Dina Jdida
 * U From Senia UNIVERSITY to M'Dina Jdida
 * P1 From City center (Lycée lotfi) to Canastel (ORAN EAST)

By metro
An underground metro network is under construction, the first line is expected to open in late 2022.

By tram
A single tram line runs from Es Sénia in the south to Bir El Djir in the northeast, via Place 1er Novembre. A single ticket is DA40 and can be bought at kiosks near the tram stops.

See


Oran has a very walkable historic city centre with a mix of Islamic and European buildings.


 * district of Sidi El Houari
 * municipal gardens
 * Djebel Murdjadjo



Buy
Note: most shops and restaurants don't accept payment cards. As of February 2022, withdrawing money from an ATM of an Algerian bank also usually doesn't work. The ATMs of will accept Visa and MasterCard.
 * Le Marché de Medina Jedida with art products

Eat
Here are some popular places to eat

Drink
Oran's nightlife is among the most thriving on the continent. The city has always been the capital of Algeria's parties and music. All night long, plenty of nightclubs, bars and cabarets are open and offer music, dance and partying in the city area seafront, called La Corniche, which runs from the city's Front de Mer to the neighbouring cities of Aïn El Turk, Bou Sfer and El Ançor. All kinds of nightclubs can be found, from the very posh Atmosphère at the Sheraton Hotel that attracts now international DJs such as David Vendetta to more popular ones in the Corniche, such as Les Pins d'Or, SunHouse and Le Murdjadjo.

Stay safe
Oran is considered a safe city. Just use some common sense: avoid wearing expensive jewellery or looking flashy, do not flash large quantities of cash, and avoid unfamiliar and deserted areas at night. If you walk in crowded streets or use a bus, keep a hand in your pockets. Women should avoid low-cut tops, midriffs, or shorts to avoid harassment (which almost always consists of comments, but nothing physical) although this is less of a problem than in other cities. Don't feel the need to be polite.

Diplomatic missions
If you run into any trouble, or if you need assistance of any kind, head over to Algiers.

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