Saint-Charles Church

Foundation

Catholic worship in Blida began soon after 1830, when French troops settled in the region. The community first gathered in a small wooden chapel built on the site of today’s Galeries de France and Boulevard Trumelet. This simple structure served local Catholics for several years and quickly became the center of early parish life. As the town expanded, the need for a larger and more permanent worship space grew stronger.

On 4 November 1840, french regime converted the Grand Mosque of Blida (Djemaà el Kébir) into a church. They dedicated it to Saint Charles Borromée, and Bishop Dupuch of Algiers led the ceremony alongside military officials stationed in the city. This moment gave the parish its first recognized church and encouraged a structured religious activity. Two years later, on 4 November 1842, the church received a second, more solemn consecration led by Bishop de Mazenod of Marseille, who was joined by several visiting bishops. That ceremony marked the end of the parish’s foundational phase.

Construction of the Saint-Charles Church

By the late 1850s, parish leaders and the municipal council realized that the converted mosque no longer met the needs of Blida’s Catholic community. For this reason, on 20 June 1860, Mayor Lemoine and the council approved the construction of a new Romanesque-style church designed to reflect the city’s civic identity. Builders completed and decorated the new Église Saint-Charles in the spring of 1863. One year later, in October 1864, clergy consecrated the stone church, giving the parish a stable and dignified place within Blida’s growing urban layout.

Clergy and Ceremonies Through the Years

In November 1901, Bishop Henry of Grenoble, born in Blida, returned to consecrate the main altar. The event drew a large crowd and strengthened ties between the parish and its faithful. In 1924, the church installed new organ pipes, which enriched liturgical music and supported a more active worship atmosphere. The parish upgraded its bells again in 1948, replacing the older 19th-century set with three new ones named Charles-Augustin, Anne, and Jeanne.

Demise and Replacement

Urban changes and shifting demographics eventually led to its disappearance. Between 1974 and 1975, it was demolished. The site soon took on a new identity. Today, the Mosquée El-Kawthar occupies the location where the church once stood.