Palais des Raïs

Also called the Bastion 23, this restored complex of Ottoman palaces and houses sits against the seafront ramparts below the Casbah, the last surviving fragment of the old maritime quarter of Algiers. Built for corsair captains and dignitaries, its rooms are arranged around cool tiled courtyards with galleries of carved wood and slender columns. The site now serves as a centre for arts and heritage, hosting exhibitions within its historic chambers. It gives a rare, intact picture of domestic life in the pre-colonial capital.