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MANSURAH:
Merenid ruins

Mansurah is today noted for its old Merenid ruins, dating back to 1302, a structure that was used for a short period of time. Mansurah was built by Abu Yaqub, and was his base while holding Tlemcen under siege. In less than 100 years, after Tlemcen had been conquered, it was totally abandoned. All its functions were then reduced to serving Tlemcen with building materials. So what is left now, is relatively little.
Around Mansurah runs 4 km of walls, up to 12 metres high and 1,5 metres thick. To the walls there were 80 towers. Parts of this structure is still left in good condition, but once you get inside, all that is left of old Mansurah are the mosque and the minaret. Well, the mosque is virtually gone, too. But the minaret, a weird sight now, standing up alone, is an exquisite example of Merenid architecture, and is often compared to the Koutoubia in Marrakech, Morocco and the Giralda in Spain.

Eat and Sleep
Nothing. Head back to Tlemcen

Transportation
Bus, or you could just as well walk.



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