La Consulaire
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/La_Consulaire_%28Baba_Merzoug%29.jpg/170px-La_Consulaire_%28Baba_Merzoug%29.jpg)
La Consulaire is the name of a very large Algerian Barbary artillery piece which famously defended Algiers harbour. It was looted by the French during the Invasion of Algiers in 1830, on 5 July, and taken as a trophy to Brest, where it is still displayed.
La Consulaire is a 23 -feet long smoothed-bore muzzle-loading gun, ordered by Hasan Pasha (son of Barbarossa) for the completion of the fortifications of Algiers. It was founded in Algiers in 1542 by a Venetian founder for Hasan Agha. Its original name is Baba Marzug ("lucky father").
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/Bombardement_d%27Alger_1682.jpg/220px-Bombardement_d%27Alger_1682.jpg)
The gun was used in 1683 to project the limbs of the consul of France, Jean Le Vacher, towards the fleet of Admiral Duquesne, earning it its name.
In 1830, a fleet under Admiral Duperré conquered Algiers and captured the gun. It was brought back to Brest and mounted on a granite stand decorated with high reliefs, and is on display inside the military zone of the Arsenal, near Recouvrance Bridge.
Gallery
- Base panel: France casting the rays of science unto Africa
- Base panel: the Army
- Base panel: the Navy
- Top of the monument
Sources and references
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Wikibrest
48°23′10″N 4°29′43″W / 48.38611°N 4.49528°W / 48.38611; -4.49528