1.Kourdane Palace-The Writer beside the main entrance to the Palace

2.Kourdane Palace- a view of the Palace

3.Kourdane Palace- The Writer standing near the Palace

4.Kourdane Palace- an upper view of the Palace

5.Kourdane Palace- the stairs that lead to the first floor

6.Kourdane Palace –the Sidi Tahar’s Mausoleum

7.Kourdane Palace-the Writer beside the Palace’s fountain

8.Kourdane Palace-the Writer inside the Palace

IN THE NAME OF GOD THE COMPASSIONATE THE MERCIFUL

*SUBJECT: WORLD ISLAMIC HERITAGE*THE KOURDANE PALATE

*AIN-MADHI, WILAYA OF LAGHOUAT-ALGERIA.

Aurélie Picard, the princess of sands as it was called was born on the 12th of June 1849 in Montigny-le-roi (Haute-Marne) in

France, her father Claude Picard was a French Gendarme, he has served in Algeria during his military service and was “rewarded” the high distinguished Légion d’honneur in the aftermath of the taking over of the Smalah (moving camp) of Emir Abdel Kader in

1843.

At the age of 18 Aurelie was a saleswoman in a hat-shop in Arc-en-Barrois and made an acquaintance with Mme. Steenakers the

French general Adviser’s wife who was also living in Arc-en-Barrois castle.

Mr.Steenakers has became the post-office Minister and since the telegraphic network was annihilated by the Prussians , the

Minister recommended the use of carrier-pigeons for communication links and asked Aurélie to take care of the new

job in a great sign of trust and devotion to her.One day as she was looking after of the pigeons she felt the

presence of a strange person behind her, turning back and in first vision, a man with peculiar clothing was behind her, there was the first contact between the young European lady and the young brown Sidi Tahar Ben Amar ben Mohamed Al Habib ben

Ahmed Tijani who was at that time under house arrest in Bordeaux, France.

So it all started from this first emotional encounter, henceforth they got married in Algiers and went southern to Ain-Madhi

about 455 km south-west of Algiers to live she became “Lalla Yamina” or “Lady Yamina” and went on in building from the

year 1872 the “Kourdane palace” or “Cour d’Anne” named after Aurélie’s sister Anne, such a sumptuous building erected close to theTijaniyah Zawiya was surrounded with a magnificent rose garden a true feast of perfumes and colours of a virgin purity.

The palace as visited is a mixture of oriental-western style built upon complicated corridors and rooms situated in different levels

nicely decorated with multicoloured faience and specifically decorated with French style furniture.

At the foot of the palace, fragrant eucalyptus and different species of roses such chrysanthemum have been planted in such

magnificent manner, this man-made arrangement of trees and flowers form a crown of silver set upon the monotonous no man’s

land.

In 1897, Sidi Tahar Tijani died and was buried inside the Palate; while Aurélie went on to carry on the usual duties and works of the

Tijaniyah brotherhood until she died in 1933 at the age of 84.

But much to our chagrin, the erstwhile sumptuous Palace and during our recent visit is nothing but a neglected and an abandoned poorly lonely historic site where only the shiny white marble of the couple graves and the few greenery landscape are the mere spots of purity within the mournfully grey scene that once testified the

grandeur of this lost and forgotten heritage.

بوكريطة محمدالسياحة في مستشار و مستقل كاتب

الثقافيةmbokreta@maktoob.com

MOHAMED BOKRETAFREELANCE WRITER &

CULTURAL TOURISM CONSULTANTmohbokreta@yahoo.com