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The
Maqam
Echahid
(Arabic:
مقام
الشهيد,
Arabic
pronunciation:
[mækæːm
elchæːhiːd],
English:
Martyrs'
Memorial)
is
a
concrete
monument
commemorating
the
Algerian
War.
The
monument
was
opened
in
1982,
on
the
20th
anniversary
of
Algeria's
independence.
It
is
fashioned
in
the
shape
of
three
standing
palm
leaves,
which
shelter
the
"Eternal
Flame"
under
it.
At
the
edge
of
each
palm
leaf
is
a
statue
of
a
soldier
representing
a
stage
of
Algeria's
struggle
for
independence.
Unveiled
1982
Location
36°44′45″N
3°4′11″E
in
Algiers,
Algeria
Designed
by
Bachir
Yelles,
Marian
Konieczny
The
Martyrs
Memorial
is
located
on
the
heights
of
Algiers,
in
the
municipality
of
El
Madania,
west
of
the
Bois
des
arcades,
east
of
Diar
el
Mahçoul
and
north
of
the
plaza
shopping
center
Riadh
El
Feth.
It
overlooks
the
neighborhood
of
Hamma
(common
Belouizdad)
and
the
Botanical
Garden
Hamma
(known
as
Jardin
d'essai)
in
the
north.
The
monument
has
been
erected
on
the
site
of
an
ancient
military
fort.
Consisting
of
three
stylized
fins
that
join
mid-height,
the
concrete
monument
built
by
the
Canadian
company
Lavalin,
based
on
a
model
produced
in
the
Fine
Art
Institute
of
Algiers,
under
the
leadership
of
Bashir
Yelles,
reaches
a
height
of
92
metres
(302
ft).
Above
the
three
supporting
fins,
at
14
metres
(47
ft)
from
the
ground,
is
an
Islamic
style
turret
with
a
diameter
of
10
metres
(33
ft)
and
a
height
of
7.6
metres
(25
ft),
topped
by
a
dome
of
6
metres
(20
ft).
It
rests
on
an
esplanade
that
burns
an
"eternal
flame"
and
includes
a
crypt,
an
amphitheater
and
the
National
Museum
of
El
Mujahid
(underground)
The
project
to
build
a
memorial
in
memory
of
the
dead
from
the
War
of
Independence
is
the
brainchild
of
President
Houari
Boumedienne.
Its
implementation
was,
however,
completed
under
the
presidency
of
his
successor
Chadli
Bendjedid.
The
company
Lavalin
is
responsible
of
the
studies
and
construction
of
the
monument.
Several
Algerian
artists
involved,
like
the
painter
Bashir
Yelles,
the
calligrapher
Abdelhamid
Skander
and
the
Polish
sculptor
Marian
Konieczny.
The
completion
of
the
work
was
a
real
technological
challenge
because
of
the
constraints
inherent
to
the
geometry
of
the
assembly,
especially
the
curvature
of
the
fins,
the
situation
of
the
site
at
the
edge
of
a
steep
cliff
and
high
seismicity
of
the
region.
Pierre
Lamarre,
director
of
engineering
and
structural
design,
Claude
Naud,
expert
planning
and
construction
methods,
along
with
Bashir
Yelles,
imagined
a
solution
that
proved
itself
decisive
and
innovative.
Seven
months
(7
months
and
20
day)
(November
15,
1981
to
July
5,
1982)
were
necessary
to
build
this
architectural
work.
The
monument
was
inaugurated
by
the
then
President
Chadli
Bendjedid
in
February
1986.
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