UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Tunisia

UNESCO's Description

Carthage was founded in the 9th century B.C. on the Gulf of Tunis. From the 6th century onwards, it developed into a great trading empire covering much of the Mediterranean and was home to a brilliant civilization. In the course of the long Punic wars, Carthage occupied territories belonging to Rome, which finally destroyed its rival in 146 B.C. A second – Roman – Carthage was then established on the ruins of the first.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

Geography

Protected on the sea side, the city also appears preserved by the hills and by the Lake of Tunis, with the presence of two sebkhas reinforcing this particularity.

Although the site does not have many complete buildings, the ground is littered with fragments of the most precious marbles. Among these fragments are two or three varieties of white statuary marble – probably from the quarries of Paros and Luni – and a variety of Pentelic marble, several varieties of cipollino marble, many fragments of yellow Siena marble, Pavonazzo marble, porphyry feldspar in large quantities – sometimes in blocks of several cubic feet – and pink Egyptian porphyry.

History and rediscovery of the site

The great African city experienced rapid expansion as a civilization of the Mediterranean melting pot specific to Phoenician culture, then this growth was brutally halted, but the city managed to be reborn through the will of the Roman victors and thanks to its exceptional location. Nevertheless, in the turmoil of the divisions of the Mediterranean world, Carthage passed into the background: first pillaged, then forgotten, leading Gustave Flaubert to write in a letter to Ernest Feydeau in October 1858 that "we know nothing about Carthage."

It took the tenacity of a few enthusiasts to change this state of affairs, and a risk of final destruction for an international campaign to prevent the rival of Rome from falling definitively into oblivion, into "the abyss of history."

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q52284968 (CC0).

UNESCO's Description

Under the Almohads and the Hafsids, from the 12th to the 16th century, Tunis was considered one of the greatest and wealthiest cities in the Islamic world. Some 700 monuments, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas and fountains, testify to this remarkable past.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

Climate change

As a coastal heritage site, Medina of Tunis is vulnerable to sea level rise. In 2022, the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report included it in the list of African cultural sites which would be threatened by flooding and coastal erosion by the end of the century, but only if climate change followed RCP 8.5, which is the scenario of high and continually increasing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the warming of over 4 °C., and is no longer considered very likely. The other, more plausible scenarios result in lower warming levels and consequently lower sea level rise: yet, sea levels would continue to increase for about 10,000 years under all of them.

History

Founded in 698 around the original core of the Zitouna Mosque, the Medina of Tunis developed throughout the Middle Ages. The main axis was between the mosque and the centre of government to the west in the kasbah. To the east this same main road extended to the Bab el Bhar. Expansions to the north and south divided the main Medina into two suburbs north (Bab Souika) and south (Bab El Jazira).

Before the Almohad Caliphate, other cities such as Mahdia and Kairouan had served as capitals. Under Almohad rule, Tunis became the capital of Ifriqiya, and under the Hafsid period it developed into a religious, intellectual and economic center. It was during the Hafsid period that the Medina as we now know it took on its essential form.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q3106527 (CC0).

UNESCO's Description

The impressive ruins of the largest colosseum in North Africa, a huge amphitheatre which could hold up to 35,000 spectators, are found in the small village of El Jem. This 3rd-century monument illustrates the grandeur and extent of Imperial Rome.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

History

The amphitheatre was built around 238 AD in Thysdrus, located in the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis in present-day El Djem, Tunisia. It is one of the best preserved Roman stone ruins in the world, and is unique in Africa. Like other amphitheatres in the Roman Empire, it was built for spectator events, and it is one of the biggest amphitheatres in the world. The estimated capacity is 35,000, and the major and minor axes respectively measure 148 metres (486 ft) and 122 metres (400 ft). The amphitheatre is built of stone blocks, located on flat ground, and is exceptionally well conserved.

The amphitheatre of El Jem is the third amphitheatre built in the same place. It is claimed that it was constructed by the local proconsul Gordian, who became emperor as Gordian II.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q2914326 (CC0).

UNESCO's Description

The Ichkeul lake and wetland are a major stopover point for hundreds of thousands of migrating birds, such as ducks, geese, storks and pink flamingoes, who come to feed and nest there. Ichkeul is the last remaining lake in a chain that once extended across North Africa.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

History

In the reign of the Hafsid dynasty, Lake Ichkuel was a reserve during the 13th century. It later became the property of the public domain in the early 20th century during French rule. Since 1980, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Because dams have sharply reduced the freshwater inflow to the lakes and marshes, the reedbeds, sedges, and other fresh-water plant species have been replaced with salt-loving plants. These changes have produced a sharp reduction in the migratory bird populations, which depend on the mix of plants that used to exist.

According to the UNESCO Website, the Tunisian government has undertaken some steps to retain freshwater and reduce salinity, and the lake was removed from UNESCO's list of World heritage in danger in 2006.

UNESCO's Description

Founded in 670, Kairouan flourished under the Aghlabid dynasty in the 9th century. Despite the transfer of the political capital to Tunis in the 12th century, Kairouan remained the Maghreb's principal holy city. Its rich architectural heritage includes the Great Mosque, with its marble and porphyry columns, and the 9th-century Mosque of the Three Gates.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

Geography

Kairouan, the capital of Kairouan Governorate, lies west of Sousse, 50 km (31 mi) from the east coast, 75 km (47 mi) from Monastir and 184 km (114 mi) from Tunis.

Kairouan has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSh).

History

The foundation of Kairouan dates to about the year 670 when the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi of Caliph Mu'awiya selected a site in the middle of a dense forest, then infested with wild beasts and reptiles, as the location of a military post for the conquest of the West. Formerly, the city of Kamounia was located where Kairouan now stands. It had housed a Byzantine garrison before the Arab conquest, and stood far from the sea – safe from the continued attacks of the Berbers who had fiercely resisted the Arab invasion. Berber resistance continued, led first by Kusaila, whose troops killed Uqba at Biskra about fifteen years after the establishment of the military post, and then by a Berber woman called Al-Kahina who was killed and her army defeated in 702.

Economy

The primary economic sectors in Kairouan are industry, agriculture and tourism.

The Kairouan region currently has 167 industrial companies offering more than 10,000 jobs, of which 33 are fully exporters.

The industrial activities of the region are quite diversified, although the agrifood industry sector is preeminent with 91 units.

The governorate of Kairouan is known mainly for the production of vegetables (peppers, tomatoes) and fruits (apricots, almonds and olives). It is the leading national producer of chili peppers with nearly 90,000 tonnes in 2019, as well as apricots with more than 15,000 tonnes.

Kairouan is one of the four most visited sites in Tunisia along with Carthage, El Jem and Le Bardo as historic sites.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q179570 (CC0).

Visiting Kairouan

Kairouan (Arabic: القيروان), sometimes spelled Kairwan, Kayrawan or Al Qayrawan, is a city in Tunisia. It's a holy city in Islam, ranking fourth after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem as a place of pilgrimage. Reputedly seven visits here are the equivalent of one to Mecca. With its large mosques and rich cultural history it has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Kairouan (CC BY-SA 4.0).

UNESCO's Description

Sousse was an important commercial and military port during the Aghlabid period (800–909) and is a typical example of a town dating from the first centuries of Islam. With its kasbah, ramparts, medina (with the Great Mosque), Bu Ftata Mosque and typical ribat (both a fort and a religious building), Sousse was part of a coastal defence system.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

Climate change

As a coastal heritage site, Medina of Sousse is vulnerable to sea level rise. In 2022, the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report included it in the list of African cultural sites which would be threatened by flooding and coastal erosion by the end of the century, but only if climate change followed RCP 8.5, which is the scenario of high and continually increasing greenhouse gas emissions associated with the warming of over 4 °C., and is no longer considered very likely. The other, more plausible scenarios result in lower warming levels and consequently lower sea level rise: yet, sea levels would continue to increase for about 10,000 years under all of them.

History

The Medina of Sousse is located in the Tunisian Sahel and forms an outstanding archeological site. This was primarily because of the time it was built at the dawn of Islamic civilization, making it one of the earliest constructions after the Islamic conquests in the Maghreb. It was also because of the location of the Medina, a site that required protection against piracy and plunder.

The constructions comprised in its precincts witnessed the early post-conquest civilisations. Its architectural style, from the time of the Aghlabid, is representative of the military coastal constructions of the era, meant to be stout and imposing, so as to ward off foes.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q608100 (CC0).

UNESCO's Description

Before the Roman annexation of Numidia, the town of Thugga, built on an elevated site overlooking a fertile plain, was the capital of an important Libyco-Punic state. It flourished under Roman and Byzantine rule, but declined in the Islamic period. The impressive ruins that are visible today give some idea of the resources of a small Roman town on the fringes of the empire.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

History

Dougga's history is best known from the time of the Roman conquest, even though numerous pre-Roman monuments, including a necropolis, a mausoleum, and several temples have been discovered during archaeological digs. These monuments are an indication of the site's importance before the arrival of the Romans.

The city appears to have been founded in the 6th century BC. Some historians believe that Dougga is the city of Tocae (Ancient Greek: Τοκαί, Tokaí), which was captured by a lieutenant of Agathocles of Syracuse at the end of the 4th century BC; Diodorus of Sicily described Tocae as "a city of beautiful grandeur".

Dougga was in any case an early and important human settlement.

Location

The archaeological site is located 4.6 km (2.9 mi) SSW of the modern town of Téboursouk on a plateau with an uninhibited view of the surrounding plains in the Oued Khalled. The site offers a high degree of natural protection, which helps to explain its early occupation. The slope on which Dougga is built rises to the north and is bordered in the east by the cliff known as Kef Dougga. Further to the east, the ridge of the Fossa Regia, a ditch and boundary made by the Romans after the destruction of Carthage, indicates Dougga's position as a point of contact between the Punic and Berber worlds.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q32378 (CC0).

Visiting Dougga

Dougga is a small town in the north of Tunisia that holds the extensive ruins of a Roman town, set on a hilltop, overlooking surrounding valleys with olive plantations, featured on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It also has several other monuments dating from pre-Roman times. Plan to spend about 2 hours here, and if you have a car, couple it with trips to surrounding areas (ask the security guard at the ticket office for recommendations).

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Dougga (CC BY-SA 4.0).

UNESCO's Description

This serial property is a testimony to a settlement pattern that developed on the island of Djerba around the 9th century CE amidst the semi-dry and water-scarce environment. Low‑density was its key characteristic: it involved the division of the island into neighbourhoods, clustered together, that were economically self-sustainable, connected to each other and to the religious and trading places of the island, through a complex network of roads. Resulting from a mixture of environmental, socio-cultural and economic factors, the distinctive human settlement of Djerba demonstrates the way local people adapted their lifestyle to the conditions of their water-scarce natural environment.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

History

Djerba is the French spelling of Jerba or Jirba. Haynes noted in his original 1947 publication, the present archaeological evidence regarding the Palaeolithic inhabitants of Tunisia and North Africa etc which confirmed that the people who lived there through all stages of the Stone Age—Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic—were the ancient Libyan people known as the Tehenu, who appear in the records of the Old Kingdom of Egypt.

Djerba is speculated to have been the island of the lotus-eaters where Odysseus was stranded on his voyage through the Mediterranean Sea. Djerba was known as the island of Lytos or Meninx in the time of the Ancient Greeks. It was possible to locate one of its villages from the Qantara Tower, and the name Djerba was given to the area near Houmt Souk.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q188938 (CC0).

Visiting Djerba

Djerba is an island and a cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site in south Tunisia with beautiful sandy beaches and beautiful, peaceful and silent countryside. One from the best ecological destinations in the world, this island preserves its traditions and its unique architectural theme.

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Djerba (CC BY-SA 4.0).

UNESCO's Description

The property is a picturesque village perched on a promontory overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, harmoniously integrated into the cliff topography. It developed around the tomb of a Sufi master and saint, known as Sidi Bou Saïd, who lived in the 12th-13th centuries. Through its architectural fabric and urban planning in symbiosis with the natural environment, its recognisable aesthetic created by emblematic colours, and a mystic aura associated with the Sufi spirituality that permeates the site, the property brings together geomorphology, architecture, and spirituality. It has long inspired artists and continues to attract visitors seeking spiritual serenity.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

History

Abu Said Ibn Khalaf Yahya al-Tamimi al-Beji arrived in the village of Jabal el-Menar and established a sanctuary there in the 12th or 13th century AD. After his death in 1231, he was buried at the site. In the 18th century, wealthy citizens of the Beylik of Tunis built residences in Sidi Bou Said.

During the 1920s, Rodolphe d'Erlanger popularized the town’s blue-and-white color scheme. His former residence, Ennejma Ezzahra, is now a museum featuring musical instruments and hosting concerts of classical and Arabic music.

Attractions and tourism

Sidi Bou Saïd remains one of Tunisia's most visited destinations, drawing crowds for its photogenic blue-and-white streets, bougainvillea-covered walls, and panoramic views over the Gulf of Tunis and Mediterranean Sea.

Café des Nattes (Place des Nattes), a historic café famous for mint tea served with pine nuts.

Dar Ennejma Ezzahra (Palace of Baron d'Erlanger), a museum and concert venue showcasing Arab and Mediterranean music, with a collection of historic instruments.

Dar El Annabi, a preserved traditional Tunisian house museum illustrating local domestic life and architecture.

Numerous art galleries (such as Galerie A. Gorgi) featuring contemporary Tunisian works, artisan shops selling crafts, and nearby access to Carthage archaeological sites.

Visiting Sidi Bou Said

Sidi Bou Said is a UNESCO World Heritage village in Tunisia.

The best time to visit is early autumn or spring (March-early April/late October-November), before the assault of package tourists begins, when you can still walk alone on the narrow streets, around white-blue traditional houses, enjoying the views. If you are there during the summer months, it is advisable to visit not just the jam-packed tourist main street but also the emptier inner parts of the neighbourhood. Empty in the day during Ramadan.

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Sidi Bou Said (CC BY-SA 4.0).