UNESCO World Heritage Site (09.12.1988) Architectural price Agha  Khan 1992

Thirteen centuries passed since Okba Ibn Nafaa founded Kairouan (670 B.C), the first Islamic city in the Maghreb. At that time, Kairouan became the central location for the organization of Moslem based raids which resulted in conquering the Maghreb (North Africa) and the wide spread tuition of Islam and Arab civilizations in the region.

From the 9th to the 13th century (the Golden Age of the Arab-Islamic Civilization), Kairouan had become the center of one of the most brilliant civilizations which remained up to that point the most important spiritual center for Moslems.

Tunisia is located in the Northeast corner of Africa at approximately the same latitude (distance from the equator) as California, surrounded to the north and east by the Mediterranean sea (1.200Km)

Kairouan is known as the most important holy city in North Africa. Throughout its existence, it had been reconstructed under many different regimes. It pictures the richness of Islamic architecture.

Although Kairouan has experienced significant reformation, it is still considered as the fourth-most-important Holy city after (Mecca, Medine and Jerusalem). It also ranks as the fourth city constructed by the Moslems (after Al Basra (Bassorah), Al Koufa and Al Foustat).

The old city's originality has been portrayed by the Swiss painter Paul Klee throughout his artistic work.

While strolling through Kairouan, the nostalgia of tradition is seen in the typical traditional dress worn by both men (the burnous and jebba made of silk) and by veiled women (the Hayek and the Kessoua).

You can admire the market and its famous carpets, the camel of Barrouta (provider of fresh cool water), the Museum of Sidi Omar Abada, Sidi Abid El Ghariani and the Three-Doors Mosque.

As you leave the Medina through Bab Tounes (the Door of Tunis), you will certainly admire the Carpet Monument, the Aghlabites Basins and the Abu Zamma Balaoui Mausoleum. If you drive southwest from Bab Jelladine (the Martyrs Door), you can visit the National Museum of Islamic art at Rakkada (10Km).

For the past 13 centuries, the serenity of Kairouan has provided an invaluable source of art, poetry and spirituality for Islam.

Kairouan was the birth place of many great Moslem scientists as well as of many of the finest Arab Writers and romantic poets.

The influence of its scientific and cultural university has spread into Europe and Asia, where a great number of students were tempted to be educated during the 19th century.

Its past is rich in historic events the most famous of which is the departure of Tarak Ibn Ziad and his army for the conquest of Spain (where the Arab- Moslem-Andalusian civilization shone on the Mediterranean basin for about seven centuries (from 712 to 1492 AD); as well as that of Assad Ibn El Fourate’s conquest of Sicily which remained under the domination of Kairouan from 827 to 1090 AC.

Kairouan still remains the spiritual capital of Tunisia and the whole of North Africa.

Mohamed Rebai
info@kairouan.org