The city, on the Wadi Mékerra River, developed around a French camp built in 1843. In 1849 a planned agricultural town was established around the existing military post. From the 1830s until 1962, the city was closely associated with the French Foreign Legion, the location of its basic training camp, and the headquarters of its 1st Foreign Regiment.
In the 1930s much of the old city walls were demolished. Wide boulevards and squares replaced the traditional quarters
