The Sacré Coeur church project was an opportunity for architects to present in Algeria an architecture "of modern spirit and regional expression" thus inaugurating a new era, that of modern architecture. Today this monumental church suffers from marginalization in view of its situation, it is surrounded by large buildings suffocating its field of visibility and also its implantation in an environment where the population is of Muslim majority The protection of the architectural heritage is not considered a priority today despite its richness and diversity

1. People's Democratic Republic of Algeria
Ministry of Education and Scientific Research
Saad Dahleb University - Blida –
Institute of Architecture and Town Planning
Master 1 :
Architecture and Heritage conservation
Module :
History of Architecture
Building :
Cathedrale of Sacré Cœur
Realised by : supervised by :
BOUTELDJA Abdelbasset
KOLLI Lydia Mme Alliche.S

2. Name of the building
Cathedral of Sacré Cœur
Localisation
Rue Didouche Mourad, Alger, Algérie.
Proprety
Catholic Church Algeria
Land area
3180 m²
Construction Date
1958-1962
Architect
Paul Herbé et Jean Le Couteur
Original function
Eglise
currentl Function
Cathedral Church of the Archdiocese of Algiers
Used materials
Reinforced concrete
state of the construction
inservice
Graphic documents and sources used
Plan, section, elevation
Source: book « Atelier Herbé-Le Couteur »
Fact sheet

3. CHAPTRE I : Background and historical research
 1.1-Natural environement:
 1.1.1.the relief : the cathédral is built on a
slope of25%
 1.1.2. The soil : built on a part of a
coastal fringe or consolidated dunes are
formed
 1.1.3.Orientation : its maine facade faces
south overhanging the main road,
Didouche mourad
 1.2.the built environement:
 1.2.1. topographics Relationships:
 Built on a substantially rectangular site
but very sloping vers rue michlet
Location Plan
Source: Google Map
Topographic section
Source: Google Earth
N
Situation :
The cathedral is located on Ibn Hazem street
in central Algiers, bounded by the streets:
Michelet (Didouche Mourad) to the south,
Edith Cavell (Hocine Belaadjel) to the north,
Maréchal Morand to the west and Lettellier
(Ibn Hazem) to the East

4. CHAPITRE I : Background and historical research
 1.2.2. architecturals Relations:
 The neighboring buildings dating
from the beginning of the XXth
century in the Art-Deco style
against the church which is of a
modern style with new materials
(concrete), a different and
practically new architectural and
structural style
 1.3. Economic et social Environement:
To raise a big church which was to be the testimony of the gratitude
to God for the protection granted to Algeria in the middle of the
bombardments and among the dangers of the 2nd world war.

Nevertheless, the previous reasons for its construction were the will
of the French authorities to penetrate Christianity into Algerian
society by raising a church in an environment where the population
and of Muslim majority, This monumental church will be a symbol of
the triumph of religion Christian in Algeria
Masse plane 1956
N

5. CHAPITRE I : Background and historical research
 1.4. historical genesis :
The location chosen is the very land on which the Ladies in 1842 had
built, a boarding school and a college For the construction of this
church, a competition was organized.
 the first prize was awarded to the work of Paul Herbé and Jean Le
Couteur architects in Paris. the execution works were entrusted to the
Perret Frères company. The basilica and one of the 1st masterpieces of
the construction of a concrete church in 1958: the first piles were dug
South Facade 1959 Entrance from the southern facade 1959
Model of the cathedral1957

6. CHAPTRE II : Descriptive Analysis
2. Overall Composition :
 2.1. constituents parts :
The church consists of a building and its forecourt which was
supposed to project onto the site of the service station2.2.
Accessibility :
Access to the church Is done from Ibn Hazem street on the
east side - you will access the church either by a
monumental staircase, or by the porches at the bottom of
the facade (these entrances will give more direct access to
the sacristies, clergy offices..etc) arranged largely in the
basement and during major ceremonies by the small door
located at the rear on rue Hocine Beladjel
East Façade entranceEast Façade 1959
Mass Plan

7. Sommet du voile dominant le chœur
Vue sur la rosace (de l’intérieur)
CHAPTRE II : Descriptive Analysis
The designers of the building, Paul Herbé and Jean
Le Couteur in collaboration with the engineer René
Sarger, were inspired by the Gospel: "God has pitched
his tent among us". Suddenly the church took the form
of a tant
Or they expressed by new
techniques, materials and forms,
ancient Gothic architectural
traditions (the slender towe

8. 3 Matériaux :
Le béton est le matériau dominant
Des pieux ont été creusés à 19,5m sous le sol
Les surfaces sont en revêtements partiels de mosaïques
La chambre des cloches est suspendue au sommet de tour par une rosace en béton armé
View on the choir Mosaics covering the tower
CHAPTRE II : Descriptive Analysis

9. CHAPTRE II : Descriptive Analysis
 4. Plan and interior space organisation :
In outline and its inspiration, the building is however quite
traditional; a square plan in the shape of a fish (the fish was
the symbol of recognition of Christians in the first centuries),
from south to north: the choir, the central nave and the
baptistery (See the map)
The basements include a large meeting room, the wedding
room, a catechism room, offices, sacristies, etc., and some
functional rooms
Baptistry
sacristiesCentral nave

10.  5-Church views:
West viewNorth view East viewSouth view
CHAPTRE II : Descriptive Analysis

11. Architectural, Achitectonic and constructive details :
The structures of the basilica consist of:
A hyperboloid tower rising to Light elements independent of the deep
foundations, such as: the folding walls which close the central part of the
nave; the facades and covers of the narthex and the choir; the different walls
and floors of the basement
35 meters forming a nave, which with its belt of sails covers the entire central
square and rests on eight tripod pillars under tensioned by 20m piles to
ensure good construction stability and supporting thus the dome by
distributing the loads on the 2 posts in order to reduce their intensity then
transmit them to the piles, the aim was to tilt the posts in order to avoid their
buckling.
CHAPTRE II : Descriptive Analysis
The separation between these two structures
is total, It allowed the realization of an
interrupted strip of stained glass windows all
around the building,
The "dome", surmounted by a concrete "lace"
rose 11.50m in diameter Very thin facade walls,
the solidity of which is ensured by "V" folding

12. The principle of infrastructure adopted for the tower is reflected as follows (see the figure
opposite):
Saying that earthquakes create a reversal force R, applied to the center of gravity-weight of the
structure, This force R creates, at the support points of the tower, located in the direction of R,
a support force N or lifting, This force N does not relieve or overload the deep foundations P.
On the other hand, the shear forces T1 and T2 tend to overturn the support tripods, the forces
T2 are easily absorbed by triangulation effect by the inclined drums and the sill L which joins
their base two by two, On the other hand, the forces T1 create a reversal M which can only be
absorbed by the consoles C,
the weights of these consoles are insufficient to ensure stability, They are "nailed" to the
ground by the anchor A which is stressed in lifting or in support, In addition, all the horizontal
forces are absorbed by the tie rods "Ch" connecting the four anchors A, These anchors A are
molded piles Ø 500mm down to the sandstone,
the barrels crossing the basements in the form of columns Ø 150cm, independent of all the
other structures, rest on groups of 3 piles "Franki" also descended to the sandstone, to about
20m,
The 4 stability triangles are heavily armed, their assembly is almost deformable
CHAPTRE II : Descriptive Analysis

13. Detail of the side façades Double tripod after formwork removal
CHAPTRE II : Descriptive Analysis

14. 6,Accessories and furniture:
-The carpets were donated by Louis Philippe to Saint-Philippe
cathedral
-The Berber chest was donated to the cathedral by the monks
of Tibhirine eleven days before their abduction and
assassination.
-The 6-ton Carrara marble altar holds the relics of the African
saints Victor and Fulgence.Le lutrin est un don de Napoléon III,
The organ is a gift from the parish of Boufarik.
The lectern and the antiphonary The organ at the bottom of the nave
CHAPTRE II : Descriptive Analysis

15. The antiphonary belonged to the trappists of
Staouéli.
-The authentic marble columns come from the church
of Tamentfoust.
-the mosaic, dating from 324, comes from the first
basilica of Castrum Tingitanum (Chlef, ex-
Orléansville). It is a unique piece of ancient Christian
art since it is said to be the oldest representation of
the Church in the form of a labyrinth.
The Mosaïc
The Berber chest, the marble altar, the
carpet
CHAPTRE II : Descriptive Analysis

16. CHAPTRE III : Conclusion
 Conclusion:

The Sacré Coeur church project was an opportunity for architects to present in
Algeria an architecture "of modern spirit and regional expression" thus
inaugurating a new era, that of modern architecture. Today this monumental
church suffers from marginalization in view of its situation, it is surrounded by large
buildings suffocating its field of visibility and also its implantation in an
environment where the population is of Muslim majority
 The protection of the architectural heritage is not considered a priority today
despite its richness and diversity

17. Bibliographic references
 Printed References :
 Chiasso, « Atelier HERBE-LE COUTEUR », S.C.O.R.E. éditeur, 1975
 revue d’architecture « la construction moderne 1962 n°1, année 1978
 Alger-revue, « Nouvelle basilique d’Alger », Noel, 1957
 Web References :
 https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathédrale_du_Sacré-Cœur_d'Alger
 babelouedstory.com/voix.../basiliquesacrecoeur/basiliquesacrecoeur.html
 www.petitfute.com/...alger/...eglise.../109705-cathedrale-du-sacre-coeur....
 www.labbize.net/French/Pictures/.../Alger/SacreCoeur/SacreCoeur.htm