I was here in November 1991 at the time of the first rumblings of the bloody civil strife which has rendered much of Algeria an unsafe destination since then. I had the place to myself, although someone calling himself 'le gardien' showed up after about an hour to collect an entrance fee.

The site lies in an impressive landscape of nearly bare hills and contains the extensive remains of a briefly flourishing city of the 11th century. Most striking perhaps is the 25m(?) tall minaret built of rough hewn sandstone blocks and still with traces of it's blue ceramic tile decoration in place. In addition to the mosque there are remains of a palace including a bath, a fort and much more.

I declined an invitation to stay in the nearby village which decision I came to bitterly regret after a night in a vile hotel in M'sila

The site is not difficult to reach though it may be necessary to hitch-hike the last few kms. from the N40 to Beni Hammad and in happier times I would recommend a trip there to anyone wishing to see something representative of Islamic culture after the several Roman sites in Algeria.