Kairouan

 Fascinating,welcoming, and secret, Kairouan is one the jewels of Tunisian heritage, The former capital of the Aghlabid emirs, nestling far from the shoreline in an austere region of steppes, is rich in historical memories and remarkable monuments.It is also a medium-sized town,still as charming as ever, where authenticity goes hand in hand with hospitality.

The old town of kairouan has fascinated a good many artists. It derives its own mysterious beauty from the tight network of little streets, passageways and fluted cupolas with a mellow whiteness, all blending in here and the markets (souks), streets dedicated to commerce, divided up according to the trades, buzz with constant activity. Close by, in the silent little alleyways, between long withies walls interspersed with pale blue doors female silhouettes hurry past wrapped in immaculate veils, sometimes passing groups of happy, shouting chilren.All around these historic neighbours, the light brick crenulated ramparts punctuated by towers and bastions, succeed in giving the old town the venerable appearance of standing outside time.

One of the most ancient mosques in the word, and a monument that is counted amongst the most impressive in North Africa, the Great Mosque is the symbol of kairouan, not only for its religious prestige but also for its historical importance and its remarkable architecture. From the minute you firth see it, you are struck by the powerful silhouette of the minaret, like an ancient lighthouse illuminating the ocean of steppes that surrounds the city. Equally imposing are the dimensions of the majestic courtyard, surrounded by superbly designed arcades, and the tall, richly-sculpted wooden that open onto the prayer hall. Within the prayer hall, innumerable arches, supported by tens of roman pillars taken from ruined sites, are outlined in the half-light.

The structure was built in 670 by the Arab General Oqba Ibn Nafi, who constructed the first mosque in North Africa here. It was rebuilt in its current from in 836, under the dynasty of the Aghlabids, a time of prosperity when kairouan was the capital of a vast province. this architectural masterpiece inspired the other mosques in North Africa and represents exceptional evidence of the early centuries of centuries of Muslim presence in this part of the world.

Kairouan was, for two centuries one of the largest Mediterranean metropolises in terms of its riches and its influence. This influence spread as far as Muslim Sicily and a large part of North Africa. The town has preserved a lot of evidence of that golden Age. It was the Aghlabid dynasty dynasty, founded in 800 and dependent on the Abbasid caliphs of Baghdad that made kairouan the capital of a largely independent province,Ifriqiya- Roman africa .

The name of the Aghlabid emirs remains in connection with the large circular pools on the outskirts of the town, the biggest of which has a diameter of 128 metres, the remains of water reservoirs much admired by Medieval chroniclers. under the reign of the Aghlabids, both the Great Mosque and the little Mosque with Three Doors, noteworthy for its scalped façade of friezes and inscription in Arab lettering, were built. The Fatimid caliphs, and then the Zirid princes were the next to reign over Tunisia.Kairouan, although it was no longer the capital of the capital of the new rulers remained a town of refinement, embellishing the Great Mosque, producing magnificent calligrapher manuscripts and valuable items in ceramic, bronze, glass and sculpted wood.

Many artefacts from the Aghlabid and Fatimid periods can still be admired in the Raqqada Museum, built not far from kairouan on the site of a former princely residence.

Kairouan has been nicknamed the “town with three hundred mosques». Seen from a tall building, the old City does provide the astonishing spectacle of a multitude of white cupolas scattered between the terraces, marking the tombs of Muslim saints and zaouias (Islamic religious schools or monasteries), buildings dedicated to spiritual masters who provided religious teaching in kairouan .the citty, sacked during the invasion of tunisia by nomadic plunderers, the hilalien Berbers, saw something of a decline after the 11 century. But until the present day it has remained an important religious centre.

One of the cupolas in the Old City shelters a much-revered well this is as old as the town it self ,the picturesque bir barrouta whose water is sacred; water is sacred; water is still drawn from the well today using a bucket waterwheel (norial oprated by a camel. You can also visit the very ancient zaouia of sidi abid el-ghariani, with its elegant porticoes patio, finely decorated wooden ceiling and the astonishing zaouia of  Sidi Amor Abada covered with cupolas, where enormous artefacts covered with holy writings are exhibited.

But the most exceptional of these zaouia is that of Sidi Saheb (nicknamed”Mosquée du Barbier-the Barber’s Mosque”) home to the tomb of a companion of the Prophet, who, so they say, Kept say, three hairs from the Prophet’s beard as a relic. in this vast 17 th century building, the delightful courtyards and galleries decorated with ceramic panels and stucco sculpture display a mixture of Andalusian and Turkish influences.

Holy town, mythical town, kairouan has the spellbinding charm of a city moulded by history and piety, jealous of its heritage and its traditions. A unique atmosphere permeates the old neighbourhoods. As you wander through the markets. you will find some real treasures. one stall displays ‘mergoums’, those flat woven rugs with multicoloured basketwork and silk-embroidered traditional costumes. Stalls offering piles of bread in various shapes, honey doughnuts, and little lozenge-shaped date-filled pastries, makroudhs, which are a well-known speciality in the town.

 But above all, kairouan is known for the Oriental carpet that bears its name .This fine Knotted carpet uses a special technique, ghiordes knots, and this gives it its high quality. quality Throughout the whole town, weaving workshops provide the opportunity to watch the patient work of the craftsmen’s expert hands. knot by knot they procure immense pictures with the characteristic kairouan Oriental carpet patterns, sometimes manufactured in shimmering colours, and sometimes in more sober shades which are the natural tones of the sheep’s wool.

Kairouan is half-way between the coastline and the Tunisian Dorsal, a mountain range. network of delightful roads enables you to explore a great many centres of interest. such as archaeological sites out in the countryside and the tourist towns  along the coast.