The Qal’a, in northeast Algeria, was founded in 1007 as a new capital by Hammad, the grandson of Ziri, builder of the first Sanhaja centre at Ashir. Excavations began in 1908 and have continued intermittently ever since. The major monuments include the Manar and Lake Palaces and the mosque. The mosque, which measured 61 by 53 metres had a sanctuary with a ‘T-shaped’ arrangement of aisles and a courtyard completely surrounded by arcades. The minaret displays a combination of oriental and Andalusian ornament. The Lake Palace takes its name from a large pool which was surrounded by porticoes with, on the north side, a suite of rooms for the ruler. The facade of the palace is decorated with distinctive stepped niches. The Manar Palace contained a series of apartments, each with a yard, surrounding a larger central courtyard.
The Macmillan dictionary of archaeology, Ruth D. Whitehouse, 1983Copied