Notre-Dame basilica of Africa

Notre-Dame of Africa is the Basilique of Algiers in Algérie.

It was completed in 1872, after fourteen years of work. The architect, Fromageau, built it on a Byzantine level, surmounting it by a cupola.

Its plan offers the characteristic to be directed with the chorus in south-west (instead of the east usually).

Built on a headland dominating the sea of 124 m, in the north of Algiers, it is accessible by a Téléphérique since Bologhine (ex-Saint Eugene).
The basilica is regarded as the mirror and during, other with dimensions of the Mediterranean, Our-Lady-of-the-Guard to Marseilles.

Its importance symbolic system and nun are summarized in this maxim registered in French, Arab and Kabyle on the wall of the Abside behind the furnace bridge:

Notre Dame of Africa request for us and the Moslems .

History

The installation of the first stone, by the bishop of Algiers, monseigneur Pavy, took place the October 14th 1855, but the construction of the basilica began only the February 2nd 1858. The building was devoted fourteen years later, the July 2nd 1872, by monseigneur Lavigerie. Monseigneur Pavy, deceased in 1866 was buried in the chorus of the basilique.

the Organ of the basilica comes from the Georges Villa in which it had been installed in 1912 in the presence of the type-setter, pianist and organist French Camille Saint-Saëns.

To died from the owners, in 1930, the Organ of the Georges Villa was transferred to Notre Dame from Africa. Put in repair in 2001 at Vaison the Roman, it was re-installed in the Basilica and was blessed on May 31st, 2002.

Memorial of Notre-Dame of Africa

An association of repatriates of Algeria, the association of the memorial of Notre-Dame of Africa, built a memorial on a hill located at Théoule-sur-Mer (the Alpes-Maritimes). A Statue of the black Virgin 12 height m, retorts that of the basilica, was set up in 2002 and of the gatherings are organized there periodically.

Restoration of the basilica

After one long period of abandonment, the basilica very degraded by the marine winds and the earthquakes, especially that of 2003, soon will be restored. This restoration will be supervised by Xavier David, architect Marseilles who carried out that of Notre-Dame of Garde.
The project of restoration entered a phase activates in November 2006 with the looping of its financing. It is all the more interesting as it utilizes several actors: 3 French local government agencies, the area Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure, the department of the Rhone delta and the town of Marseilles (440.000 € each one) abounded with parities by the French state, the European Union (1 million euros), the Wilaya of Algiers, (600 000 €), the Algerian state as well as company Algerian main roads and subsidiary companies of French companies in Algeria thus took part in this assembly.

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