Tunis

Older than Carthage town, Tunis was quickly eclipsed by the rapid development of high-Punic city. After the Arab conquest, it became the second largest city, after Kairouan. Great Zitouna Mosque (Mosque of the Olivier) was founded there in 732 it became the capital in 1160 and began playing a great intellectual and religious role. The historian and philosopher Ibn Khaldun was born there in 1332 Tunis continues its harmonious urban development u
ntil the French conquest in 1881 a new town, European-style, then moved to the east of the Medina, towards the sea on the other side of the Bab Bhar (Gate of the Sea) ... 

The new town's streets are straight, lined with villas and public d'édifices, city hall, post office, railway station, government buildings, shops ... The decor is often ostentatious, eclectic architecture (station area) or Arabist (departments near the Kasbah, villas in the area of ​​Passage). There are buildings built in the Art Nouveau style as the Municipal Theater, the main thoroughfare, the Avenue Bourguiba. This is one of four theaters built in this style in the world. During the 1930s and 40s, we opt for the Art Deco style symmetry, geometric decor, balconies, cornices ... Among the attractions, the Postal Museum, in the building of the station has a complete collection of all stamps issued in Tunisia, foreign stamps, postcards, old appliances telephone or telegraph transmission. The central market is buzzing. Open early, closes to 13-14 h. The walk is very pleasant and appetizing. Vegetables, fruits and fish are abundant and fresh. All around, small shops and department stores sell all kinds of food: various cereals, dried fruits, dried figs, dates, cured meats, olives large variety salty cheese ... On Bourguiba Avenue in the complex palmarium, next to the municipal Theatre, there is the vast store of the Company products Marketing handicrafts (SOCOPA). It contains everything the Tunisian handicrafts produced in different regions of the country: blown glass, fabrics of all kinds, traditional male and female clothes, silver jewelry, gold or coral, silver, copper vases, furniture, trinkets, kilims, mergoums, knotted carpets ... St. Vincent de Paul's Cathedral was built in 1882 in neo-Byzantine style. Opposite lies the imposing edifice of the Embassy of France which occupies an entire city block. After the Avenue Bourguiba, found the station TGM (Tunis-Goulette-Marsa) from which trains depart for the northern suburbs. You go through the Goulette, Kram, Salammbo, Carthage, Sidi Bou Said, with terminus at Marsa. Bab Bhar Mixed between modern city and Medina, the area has remnants of the walls have now disappeared. It stands in 1848. It overlooks the street Jamaa Zitouna (the Great Mosque) and on a very busy street, bustling and picturesque that leads to the Kasbah, the Government Square. The medina is the traditional city. That of Tunis is unanimously considered one of the most beautiful countries of the Maghreb. Rue Jamaa ez-Zitouna It is lined with shops of handicrafts products, souvenirs and antiques stores. Jamaa Zitouna Mosque (the Great Mosque) This is the largest of Tunis and the most important religious center of the Maghreb countries. Founded in 732, it was completely rebuilt in the ninth century. It reveals a courtyard surrounded by pine colonnade with ancient capitals. In the vast prayer hall are hung large chandeliers of Venetian glass. The Grand Mosque is the heart of the medina, around which it is organized. There are other beautiful mosques in Tunis: El Ksar Mosque (built in 1106), the mosque in the Kasbah (1235) with its beautiful minaret, mosque Sidi Youssef (1616), Hammouda Pasha Mosque, (seventeenth century. ), the Mosque of the Dyers (1716) ... and the Sahib-Youssef mosque Tabaa, built in 1812, in the Halfaouine area has a rich decoration borrowed from the Italian style and, inside, the stucco carvings and marble polychrome. Sidi Mehrez mosque (1675) differs from traditional mosques: the central dome that covers the prayer hall is surrounded by four half-domes. The mausoleum of the saint is opposite Sidi Mehrez is the patron saint of Tunis. The domes of the mosque, stylized, are represented on the emblem of the city. Mausoleums Mausoleums and zawiyas zawiyas are many. Some reserve the visiteurx rare aesthetic emotions. So are we struck by the quality of the interior decoration of the Sidi Brahim zaouia where carved stucco Due remarkable finesse, adorn the walls and the dome. The mausoleum of Sidi Kacem Zelligi (ceramicist) houses three museums: the Museum of Ceramics, epigraphic museum that tracks the evolution of the beautiful Kufic script and a lapidary museum showing Muslim tombstones. The mausoleum Sidi Bou Khrissan contains collections of headstones and monuments ... The madrassas Madrassas schools were intended primarily to welcome students. There are cells for their accommodation, rooms for classes and room for prayer. Simplicity and sobriety delicacy characterize the architecture of the madrasahs. The largest are the madrasa Achouria, madrasah Bachya and madrasah Slimanya. Grouped in the same area, they are referred to the complex of three madrasahs. There are others, such as the madrasa Mouradya. Today, they are assigned to other uses. The souks The souks are generally streets with established stalls of craftsmen and tradesmen of various trades. Clean trades are settled near the Grand Mosque. The planes that are less are below. There is a hierarchy codified trades. In mind, the trade and commerce of fez (woolen caps), followed by perfumes, silk weaving, upholstery, clothing manufacture, manufacture slippers, weaving, pottery and down of the scale, blacksmiths and dyers ... Very close to the Grand Mosque, which runs along part opens souk El Attarine (perfumers), built in the early eighteenth century. It surprises with its stalls of another time, full of vials containing a large diversity d'essences and fragrances. v Merchants are open, friendly and love to talk about their craft. From this souk, a street leading to the Souk Ech-Chaouachya (merchants fez). The chaouachya form the one of the oldest corporations in Tunisia. These are generally d'émigrés descendants Andalusian Muslims expelled from Spain. In some of their stores, you can see some beautiful woodwork. On the Souk El Attarine open two other souks. The first, which runs along the west side of the Grand Mosque, is the Souk El Kmach (fabrics). Two doors closed the access, one of which reflects the Moorish influence on the Tunisian architecture. The second souk, Souk El Birka dates from the seventeenth century. It houses embroiderers and jewelers especially. In the middle, we see a square: it was the slave market. The souk Fabrics extends the souk Women near which is the souk of Wool and, a little further, the souk Cotton. Souk el Berka leads to Souk El Leffa where it sells all kinds of carpets, blankets and other weavings. This souk is extended by the souk are Sarragine (saddlers), built in the early eighteenth century, specializing in leather goods today. Souk El Attarine extends through the souk and-Trouk (Turks) where we find the Mrabet coffee, traditional and Mrabet restaurant offers dishes of haute cuisine Tunisia. There are other souks: Souk El-Blat, Souk el-Blaghgia, Souk El-Kébabgia, In-souk Nhas (copper), Es-souk Sabbaghine (dyers). Souk el-Grana, where clothing and blankets and was occupied by the Jews Leghorn is now selling. Dars Dar means house. The term is used today to describe the great houses of notables, usually located in a residential area away from the hustle and bustle of the souks. The medina of Tunis has very beautiful. Dar Othman (Othman Dey), which dates from the late sixteenth century, is one of the oldest and most beautiful of Tunis. It is distinguished by a majestic facade, Hafsid style and interior décor of polychrome ceramics. Dar Ben Abdallah It is a princely residence in a renovated Italianate style, which was acquired by Mohamed Ben Abdallah, a silk weaver, and then bought by a French painter, Albert Aublet. The Tunisian state the acquired and made the regional museum in Tunis. The decoration of the lobby is beautiful. In this beautiful setting, the museum recreates the lifestyle of the great Tunisian bourgeoisie of the nineteenth century gold embroidered costumes, jewelery inlaid with stones, utensils ... Dar Dar Hussein Hussein was rebuilt in the mid-eighteenth century. It is now the headquarters of the National Heritage Institute (INP). The front courtyard is gorgeous with its decorations of tiles and stucco. One can detect the Andalusian influences, Turkish and Italian. Dar Haddad built in the sixteenth century, it now belongs to the city of Tunis and is a listed building. It is distinguished by the elegance and simplicity of its decor. Dar El Bey Sis in Tunis, Dar el Bey is a former residence of the seventeenth century rebuilt in the early nineteenth century. The Belvedere Park Belvedere Park is interesting for a security. It is a beautiful space that spans a hundred hectares. Located on a hill, it offers a multitude of viewpoints to d'embrasser entire city and its surroundings. There is a great variety of trees: pine, ficus, false pepper, palm, olive, eucalyptus, mimosas ... The zoo is very nicely furnished. It contains, in large enclosures, a large collection of animals from different continents. You can admire, in addition, a d'ablutions room (midha) seventeenth century and was the souk and Trouk. It was rebuilt here. The Kubba (bubble) has an even greater interest. The building, dating from the seventeenth century, was, originally, in Manouba, near Tunis. He was transferred to Belvedere in 1901, holds the attention with its ribbed dome, columns, galleries and especially its decoration: carved plaster trimmed with tiny multicolored stained glass, Tunisian ceramics on the walls, white marble ...