Bey's Palace

The Palais du Bey, in the historic Sidi El Houari quarter, is the most important piece of Ottoman architecture in western Algeria. The complex of courtyards, reception halls, and private apartments was built in the 1790s when Oran briefly served as the residence of the Bey of the West. Long neglected, the palace has been undergoing a slow restoration; some sections are open to visitors, others remain off-limits.

The standout interiors are the marble-tiled courtyards, the cedar-wood ceilings of the bey's reception rooms, and the small hammam complex. Guided visits — when available — are organised through the Sidi El Houari restoration association.

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A story
The palace was built by Mohamed el-Kebir, the Bey of Oran who recaptured the city from the Spanish in 1792. He moved his court here in 1797 and made Oran the western capital of Ottoman Algeria. After the French conquest in 1831 the palace served variously as military headquarters, a hospital, and a barracks — battering through interior walls and adding 19th-century French rooms onto Ottoman ones.