Kairouan

Souk of flowers

2009-06-23T22:04:00.024+01:00

This is an exclusive video , i think that i'm the first person who publish it in the internet , this short video show you a little about the souk of flowers ( this souk is only in spring, for a one month period from 7 avril until 17 mai), this souk start at 6h30 until 12 h ( the time in photos is not correct )

before arriving at this souk you can smell the odeur of flowers before 500 meters .

souk des fleurs a Kairouan sur Yahoo! Vidéo

you can also dwonload the last video in better quality at this link

KAIROUAN, The Capital of Islamic Culture

2009-03-18T00:05:00.001+01:00

Kairouan has been chosen as the capital of Islamic culture for 2009 following the decision taken by the plenary Conference of Culture Ministers of ISESCO Member States held in Algiers in 2004, within the framework of the program of the Organization aiming at raising awareness of the cultural contribution of cities that played a key role in the spreading of Islamic civilization and values.In accordance with the instructions of President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali in the speech he delivered on the occasion of the 21st anniversary of the Change, for starting working out the program of this celebration, the city of Kairouan will host this outstanding event including literary, cultural, artistic, intellectual and scientific aspects.The preparation of this event involved numerous national and international partners including the OIC under whose auspices this event will be held alongside various ministries, national institutions and brotherly and friendly countries which have provided valuable assistance. Intellectuals as well as the regional and local bodies of the city of Kairouan have contributed significantly to the development of this program.The festivities are due to start in March 2009 and will continue until the end of the year, including a rich program comprising intellectual and artistic events as well as festivals, exhibitions, competitions, parades, shows and workshops.These events cover a wide spectrum of art work creations, including those highlighting Kairouan civilization and that of the Islamic world in general.

The launch of the celebration of “Kairouan Capital of Islamic Culture

2009-03-15T22:52:00.002+01:00

Address by President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali

at the launch of the celebration of

“Kairouan Capital of Islamic Culture”

Kairouan, March 8, 2009

"In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Your Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz Altwaijri, Director General of ISESCO,

Your Excellency Mr. Habib Ben Yahia, Secretary General of the Arab Maghreb
Union,

Your Excellencies, Your Eminences,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

By the Grace of God, I inaugurate today the celebration of “Kairouan : Capital
of Islamic Culture” for 1430 H. / 2009 AD.

On this occasion, I wish to express my sincere thanks to the representatives of
regional cultural organizations and of Islamic scientific organizations, to
Their Excellencies and Eminences, and to the scholars and thinkers from sisterly
and friendly countries, for having accepted our invitation to attend with us
this special celebration, as a token of consideration to our country and to the
city of Kairouan which enjoys a special place in the hearts of Muslims in
particular, and in the history of world culture in general. To all of you, I
would like to extend a warm welcome.

I also wish to thank the inhabitants of Kairouan and the local administrative
and cultural elites, for the efforts they have deployed to host this major
event, and to extend, with their customary hospitality and courtesy, the warmest
welcome to their guests.

I take this opportunity to commend the fruitful cooperation between Tunisia and
ISESCO, and to pay tribute to the executive body of this Organization, and to
its Director General Dr. Abdulaziz Altwaijri, for their sustained action to
highlight the cultural and civilizational contributions of Islamic cities that
have played an active and decisive role in spreading our sublime religion,
anchoring its values, and promoting its image; Kairouan being one of the most
illustrious of these cities.

Since its foundation in 50 H / 670 AD by Oqba Ibn Nafaa, who arrived in
Ifriqiyya accompanied by 25 valorous Sahabas (Companions of the Prophet) and a
group of virtuous Muhajirin (Muslim emigrants from Mecca), Ansar (Medinan
converts to Islam) and Tabi’in, (the generation after the Sahaba), Kairouan has
been honored with especially distinguished status.

Kairouan is, in fact, the dwelling place of the Sahabas (Companions of the
Prophet, Peace and Prayer Be Upon Him). It is also the burial place of the
Companion Abu Zumaa Al-Balawi, who was among those who pledged allegiance to the
Prophet “Under the Tree”. Kairouan is the oldest stronghold of Islam and Muslims
in the countries of the Maghreb, and is the fourth holy city of Islam, after
Mecca, Medina and Al-Quds. The founder of Kairouan, Oqba Ibn Nafaa, prayed to
God “to fill this city with science and fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), and to
make it a symbol of glory for Islam and Muslims forever”.

Actually, it was from Kairouan that Islamic conquests started toward the
Maghreb, Andalusia, Sicily and Sub-Saharan Africa... It was in Kairouan that the
greatest school of Maliki Jurisprudence was founded, spreading the values of
moderation and golden mean, rejecting excessive and suspicious attitudes, and
shunning the factors conducive to divergence and internal strife.

It was in Kairouan that the most prestigious religious, literary, educational
and medical schools emerged, that the most fruitful intellectual debates took
place, and that the best renowned social, biographical and morality books
appeared. It was in Kairouan that coexistence, harmony and freedom of belief
prevailed between Muslims and the People of the Book.

It was in Kairouan that prominent figures and pioneers emerged in all
specialties, promoting dialogue and complementarity with others. They were
inspired by others, but they also innovated, excelled, and served as a reliable
and strong link between the Mashreq and the Maghreb.

In the town of Raqqada, near Kairouan, the Aghlabide Emir Ibrahim Ibn Ahmed
founded, in 264 H / 878 AD, the institution of Beit El-Hikma (House of Wisdom),
following the model of the Beit El-Hikma established in Baghdad by Al-Khalifa
Al-Ma’moun. Ibrahim II brought to the Aghlabide Beit El-Hikma the most prominent
doctors, astronomers, scholars and translators. He also brought there some of
the most precious books in various languages.

From Kairouan, the Capital of the Aghlabides, then of the Zirids, emerged
outstanding figures in Islamic jurisprudence, such as Assad Ibn Al-Fourat,
Suhnoun Ibn Said, and Abdallah Ibn Abi Zeyd; in literature, such as Abdelkarim
Al-Nahshali, Ibrahim Al-Husari, Ali Al-Husari, Ibn Sharaf, and Ibn Rachiq; and
in medicine, such as Is’haq Ibn Omrane, Ahmad Ibn Al-Jazzar and Zied Ibn
Khalfoun.

In Kairouan, the respect of women’s rights prevailed in matrimonial relations,
through the so-called “Kairouani Sadaq” (Kairouan marriage contract).

The education of girls was widespread, as was the case of Assad Ibn Al-Fourat
with his daughter Asma, and Al-Imam Suhnoun with his daughter Khadija. The two
girls would later be known for their narration of Hadiths (Prophet’s statements)
and the fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), and also for their mastery of the Arabic
language. Similarly, Princess Mahriya al-Aghlabiya was known for her erudition
and poetic creativity.

The Kairouan School of Education knew its heyday with the appearance of famous
books in this field, such as “Adab Al-Mu’alimin” (Teachers’ rules of behavior)
by Mohamed Ibn Suhnoun, “Siyasat Al-Sibyane Wa Tadbiruhom” (Children’s Education
and Management) by Ibn Al-Jazzar, and “Al-Risala Al-Mofasala Li-Ahwal
Al-Muta’alimin Wa Ahkam Al-Mu’alimin Wal-Muta’alimine” (Epistle on the state of
learners and the rules of conduct for teachers and learners) by Abul-Hassen
Al-Qabesi.

Kairouan also served as a major passageway, a dynamic crossroads of cultures,
and an active path toward the Machreq, the Maghreb and Sub-Saharan Africa. It
included many mosques, diwans, markets and craftsmen’s stalls, and witnessed a
remarkable urban development, especially through the building of ramparts,
bridges, wells and basins, institutions and Ribats.

Aware of the importance of water in the development of cities, the Arabs built
reservoirs and fountains in residential areas and in religious and social
institutions, the most famous of which being the Aghlabide Basin which today
bears strong witness to the degree of progress achieved in the Islamic Maghreb
in terms of urban architectural techniques.

The Great Mosque of Kairouan, or “Sidi Oqba Mosque”, where we are meeting now,
was the first monument established by Oqba Ibn Nafaa when Kairouan was founded.
It contains skillfully-crafted architectural elements that were widely admired
in the Mashreq and in the Maghreb, thanks to their simplicity and elegance,
particularly the Minaret, which is unique of its kind, and the Minbar (Pulpit),
which is one of the oldest, most famous and most wonderful in the Islamic world.

We have chosen to make sure the cultural events scheduled for Kairouan coincide
with the eve of Al-Mawlid Al-Nabawi Al-Sharif (celebration of the Prophet’s
Birthday), so as to glorify the Great Prophet, and to perpetrate this noble
tradition that the inhabitants of Kairouan had set since a long time ago,
through which they relate and draw lessons and wisdom from Al-Sira Al-Nabawiya
(the Prophet’s life).

We have also chosen to launch the special events of Kairouan from this great
religious, educational and scientific institution which, throughout the ages,
abounded with the circles of Qurra’ (reciters of the Koran), fuqahas (scholars
of Islamic jurisprudence), Hadith specialists, linguists and experts, spreading
faith and knowledge among disciples coming from various countries and regions of
the world.

Though it remained, during five centuries, a prosperous, creative and shining
city, Kairouan did witness period of trouble and ordeals that threatened its
stability and hindered its activity, especially after the Hilalian invasion in
the 5th century H. /11th century AD.

However, thanks to its strong personality and rich history, Kairouan managed,
during the periods of weakness and decline, to stand in the face of the waves of
internal trouble and foreign invasion, and to achieve self-renewal at each
stage, without renouncing its identity or its roots.

These same traits are still deeply rooted in our social traditions and political
choices. We are, in fact, keen to make sure the Islamic spirit in this region
remains deeply anchored and durable all over the ages, from the era of Oqba Ibn
Nafaa to the present era in which we have the honor of revivifying religious
sciences and promoting religious sites and monuments.

Our celebration this year of “Kairouan : Capital of Islamic Culture” bears
testimony to our continuous endeavor to link the past to the present, and to
make sure Tunisia’s religious and cultural personality remains strong,
resistant, vivacious and ever-renewed, in accordance with Article One of the
Tunisian Constitution which provides that : “Tunisia is a free, independent and
sovereign state; its religion is Islam, its language Arabic, and its system
republican”.

On the other hand, we have taken care of our intellectual and material heritage,
with all its components, based on our conviction that individual and collective
creativity is the best expression of national identity. Today, we have seven
cultural sites registered on the World Heritage List, in the forefront of which
the city of Kairouan. We also have over 35 public and private museums spread all
over the country, preserving a rich civilizational heritage that immortalizes
the vestiges and creative works accumulated by our country over three thousand
years.

To consolidate these institutions, we established the “National Heritage
Institute” and the “Agency for the Development of National Heritage and Cultural
Promotion”. We issued a “Code for the Protection of Archaeological and
Historical Heritage and Traditional Art”, with a view to safeguarding our
historical sites and popular culture, and optimizing their management so that
they serve national tourism.

Since the Change of 1987, we have been keen on protecting our culture from all
forms of estrangement and distortion, from the market hegemony, and from the
dangers of stereotyped production. We have clung to our values and
specificities, provided all due care and encouragements to creative people, and
promoted exchange and complementarity with foreign cultures.

We have rehabilitated the Islamic religion, based on our conviction that our
sublime religion is the essence of our civilization and the foundation of our
existence. We have been keen on safeguarding it, revitalizing its rituals, and
following its teachings. To this end, we have taken a set of practical measures.

These include : establishing the “Islamic Studies Center of Kairouan”;
transforming the “Zitouna Faculty of Shari’a (Islamic jurisprudence) and the
Fundamentals of Religion” into the “Zitouna University”, an institution offering
multidisciplinary branches and areas of specialization; creating the Ministry of
Religious Affairs; establishing an “Academic Chair for the Dialogue among
Civilizations and Religions”; spreading enlightened Ijtihad-based thinking;
promoting the religious discourse in the media; and organizing regional and
international conferences with specialized international organizations on the
dialogue among civilizations, cultures and religions, especially that our
country has been, all along its glorious history, a land of tolerance, peace and
harmony, acting to spread these values in its relations with the nations with
which it had met or mixed.

We have focused our attention on religious monuments, particularly mosques whose
number increased from 2390 in 1987 to 4550 in 2008. We have granted special care
to the Holy Koran, and given instructions for issuing, for the first time in the
history of our country, an edition of the Koran of the Republic of Tunisia. We
have organized annual regional, national and international competitions in the
recitation and memorization of the Holy Koran. We have given instructions for
launching the programs of the “Zitouna Radio for the Holy Koran”, and
established the “International Prize of the President of the Republic for
Islamic Studies”.

In line with our decision concerning the continuous recitation, all day long and
all year round, of the Holy Koran in the Zitouna Mosque in Tunis, we give
instructions today so that the recitation of the Holy Koran takes place also in
the Oqba Ibn Nafaa Mosque all day and all year long, so that Kairouan remains,
as its founder wished it to be, “a symbol of glory for Islam to the end of
time”.

We are always faithful to our commitment vis-à-vis our people in their
attachment to their Arab-Muslim identity, in their awareness of their present,
interaction with their time, and confidence in the future, and in their
determination to combine knowledge and action so as to reach the highest levels
of progress and invulnerability.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

To conclude, I would like, once again, to express to you my warm greetings, and
to say that I am deeply proud of your presence here in Kairouan, the Capital of
Islamic Culture for 1430 H./2009 AD, wishing you a pleasant stay among us.

Thank you for your attention."

Photos you can't seen again in reality

2009-03-13T21:10:00.002+01:00

New eclairage in Kairouan

2009-03-13T21:01:00.003+01:00

Spectacle "Kairouan l’éternelle" full edition

2009-03-12T09:11:00.004+01:00

A hight definition spectacle, don't miss it

you can see it also at :http://www.megavideo.com/?v=R6NW2BDL

Cérémonie of ouverture Kairouan 2009 low définition

2009-03-10T17:06:00.006+01:00

This video is exclusive : you can watch it here before the projection tonight , it's named "MACHHADIA" = مشهدية

Video Tunisia Nabeul Kairouan in French language

2009-02-06T19:51:00.005+01:00

A video from dailymotion , Tunisia seen by other eyes

New singer from kairouan

2009-02-04T14:25:00.005+01:00

This video is a gift for the visitors of my Blog :

Stamps of kairouan

2009-01-28T17:02:00.015+01:00

Here you can see the most famous stamps of kairouan, the first one date from 1906 ( wowww )

1916

1921

1923

Preparing Makroud

2008-12-11T14:29:00.004+01:00

This video show a way to prepare makroud ( by watching other women you can see the difference )

How to cut "kairouan makroud"

2008-12-11T09:40:00.002+01:00

In this video you can see a women cutting makroud .
this video show a way to prepare makroud ( by watching other women you can see the difference )

Folklore group

2008-12-10T21:46:00.004+01:00

This video is taken in kairouan , in front of zawia Sidi Sahbi, you can discover a new rhythm and music .

Video Bir Barouta Kairouan

2008-11-28T19:30:00.008+01:00

This video is from dailymotion , and it's censured in Tunisia, then i upload the video here , or you can watch it at http://dailymotion.alice.it .

this video can't replace the presence there in bir barrouta in kairouan , it's really great , the camel higher than a man and it's....

Kairouan Door

2008-11-28T19:22:00.005+01:00

in previous post , i post some photos of portal at this link .
but this is new one :

Kairouan Postcard (old)

2008-11-28T18:59:00.008+01:00

This is kairouan old postcard , this photo are taken from www.ebay.com , and www.stamps-auction.com.
i like them

How to make makroud / makrhoud in kairouan

2008-11-24T18:53:00.005+01:00

in this video from the national TV of Tunisia "TV 7 " , you can discover the steps to make makroud (how to make makroud ), this video is turned at kairouan, a Tunisian women from kairouan shows all the spectator the way to make makroud .
but i'm sure that the receipe of makroud is not shown to anyone, in that way the makroud of kairouan has a secret of his cooking , in that way you can say "makroud of kairouan " is a copyrihyt production :)

kairouan video 1920 woooow

2008-11-23T19:57:00.006+01:00

kairouan in 1920 , i can't imagine it but now i can see it at this exclusive video that catches the eyes, i'm sure that the majority of citizen of kairouan town haven't seen this video and haven't the idea of it existence , really i found it in the youtube at this adress : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F3F9aEnJS8 , then i decide to upload it here because some country had youtube censured or blocked for acces .
in this video you can see abnormal things, don't miss it , enjoy :)

Tradionnal clothes

2008-11-20T21:23:00.005+01:00

The “burnous” is an exterior clothing, generally made out in doubled wool and can be painted in various colors. The best ones are of type "jeridi", oases located in the south of Tunisia or the "kefi", after the city of Kef.

The “burnous” is a long and full traditional coat with hood but without sleeves.

This is a traditional wintry piece of cloth which originated from the “berber” where it comes to crown the traditional Tunisian costumes which has a special prestige.

“Barnous” is dating back to the roman era and part of the traditional of “berber” populations before the Arab conquest.

The “burnous” gets you a feeling of heat much better than the modern coats and can even be used as a cover during the night. Practical isn’t!

It can be embroidered with sharp colors and be carried by the women as an evening dress "caftan"

author : Mohamed Rebai

this is a photo a men wearing barnousse (barnous)

With the emancipation of the woman Haïk (authentically to the city of Kairouan) disappears more and more (too much cumbersome) and gradually becomes almost non-existent leaving the place to immense Sefsari- women scarf of the natural silk generally (white or yellow). The aim is always the same one to cover themselves and protect themselves from the bad weather and mainly from the glances.

Some “sefsari” of lower quality are manufactured starting from Nylon (synthetic) of 6m X 2,20m which wraps all the body when they go out (more practical).

Weaving can be made with : “swabeaâ” (fingers), “felaya” (fine comb) “nekhil” (palm trees).

It is a traditional vestimentary mode which dissapears out more and more. Nowadays, it is still carried by the women of a certain age.

Types :

Sefsari Harir (silk)
Sefsari with targuia of black color to cover the face
Sefsari with lahfa mesria (Egyptian) longer than the targuia
Sefsari with assaba (veil being used to mask the face of the women in Sefsari carried on the face or the head. It is black, out of wool and sometimes red)

author : Mohamed Rebai

but now i think that only the women over 45 years are wearing this kind of clothes.

Kairouan Makhroud

2008-11-20T21:08:00.005+01:00

An authentically Kairouanese specialty

Makhroud are semolina small cakes cut in the shape of lozenges, stuffed with dates, hazelnuts, or almonds, deep fried in olive oil and drizzled with honey or sugar syrup.

These delicacies are special because they combine the cereals of the north of the country with the olive oil of the Sahel region. In addition, Makhroud are a biologically sound source of caloric value (people usually find it wonderful to discover the unique taste of these little treats!).

In the past, Makhroud were made at home; today bakers and pastry chefs do the work. The most famous are called “Segni-ben Sokrana-Bouhafer-Omrani”.

Varieties :

Makroudh diyari (normal)
Makroudh bzit zitoune (with olive oil)
Makroudh billouze (with almonds)
Makroudh bijiljlan (with sesame seeds)

source : www.kairouan.org

kairouan bread

2008-11-20T20:33:00.008+01:00

Kairouan is known in the cities of Tunisia by his : bread , Makroudh(kind of patisserie) and Keftegi (kairouan sandwitch) .

now this is a few kind of bread in kairouan :

Siniya: is bread that rises in metal molds and whose crust is brushed with oil. Chiha is the most famous.

Chaouaya

baked on the floor of the oven, is very light and the most popular.
Mida is bread sprinkled with semolina. Like Siniya, the dough was originally made at home, then baked by the local baker.

Mjarreh : is similar to Chaway, but is lacey in appearance.

Mbassess : bread of different dimensions, made with olive oil, smen, and sometimes even mouton fat.

Bzezel = (in english breast ;) ) : is bread served at the wedding ceremony, it’s made of little pointed puffs of dough.

Kamh :is a full grain bread made with non husked wheat.

Majamaa :pain de grande dimension formé de boules de pâtes

BIzzitoune : is bread with black olives.

Chiir :is full-grain rye bread.

Tabouna (Galette) :pain de campagne cuit au four circulaire en terre cuite

Bochmat : is very crunchy bread baked on the floor of the oven.

Ftira Ghanay :is country bread baked in a clay tajine pot.

Mlawi :should be served warm with butter and honey or powdered sugar. These small breads can also be dipped in melted butter and honey.

source : www.kairouan.org

How to make carpet in kairouan

2008-11-20T13:36:00.006+01:00

This video is really unique, it's hard to get it from the internet , i found it in http://www.aufeminin.com , this video takes me 25 years ago, when i see my grand mother weaving .

source video : http://www.aufeminin.com/video/see_14933/kairouan-capitale-du-tapis.html

the frame where the carpet is made is known as saddaya = سدّاية

the traditional saddaya in wood (difficult to found it now day)

the "modern" saddaya :)

Kairouan Exhibition

2008-11-19T15:08:00.002+01:00

From December 2 to March 31, 2009, Kairouan will host a cultural exhibit dubbed "Mediterranean civilizational innovation: exchange and communication". The exhibit which is hosted by the Rekada Museum of Islamic Arts and Civilization, is organized by the Ministry of culture and heritage preservation.

The event is also part of the El Kantara (bridge) Euro- Med project, aiming at fostering exchange and communication between East and West, in order to highlight the shared civilizational heritage between the countries bordering the Mediterranean.

Launched by the Paris based Arab World Institute (Institut du Monde Arabe), the project groups seven countries from both shores of the Mare Nostrum, namely Tunisia, Lebanon, Morocco, Jordan, France and Spain and Algeria, with the contribution of Egypt and Syria.

The exhibit which consist in historic documents, photos, and sound presentations will be simultaneously shown in the afore mentioned countries, primarily targeting young people and students.

The choice of Kairouan to host such a symbolic exhibit, is certainly not fortuitous.

The city is actively readying itself to be promoted as "the Capital of Islamic Culture" in 2009. Several rehabilitation works have already been engaged by the local authorities who are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to give a new shine to the prestigious city.

article source : http://allafrica.com/stories/200811190021.html

kairouan at night

2008-11-19T12:47:00.006+01:00

No one can deny the mysterious feeling and the great sensation in visiting kairouan at night, it's fabulous thing.

photo source : www.kairouan.org

Zaouia of Sidi Amor Abbada

2008-11-19T09:48:00.005+01:00

Amor Abbada was a strange kind of blacksmith philosopher, creating oversized objects full of inscriptions explaining their purpose. Like swords that should protect but not kill and candles of wisdom, keys that only God can turn . The whole museum-like presentation is very attractive, all set in his (now desanctified) zawiyya beneath two of its domes. The caretaker, Khammeri, is very enthusiastic and helpful. The lower photo shows his burial place. A wooden cage protects the spot where he was placed to rest in the ground. Not uncommon, but the tablet with Koranic and non-Koranic inscriptions is different from what I have usually seen. Amor Abbada was not always philosophical in a way that can appeal to modern people. He also claimed that two anchors which he gave his home town had come from Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat, anchors which were said to fasten Kairouan to the earth. They can be seen half way down the eastern walls .

photo source : http://lexicorient.com/tunisia/kairouan13.htm
http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/3bdcf7/

Zaouia of Sidi Abid el-Ghariani

2008-11-17T14:20:00.004+01:00

From Bab ech Chouhada the main street of the Medina in Kairouan, Rue Ali Belhaouane, runs straight ahead. A few yards along the second street on the right (Rue Sidi Ghariani) is the Zaouia of Sidi Abid el Ghariani, with the tomb of a holy man who lived in Kairouan in the 14th century. Notable features are the fine wood and stucco ceiling, the sumptuously decorated dome of the tomb and the inner courtyard with its beautiful arcades. This is due to become the headquarters of the Association de Sauvegarde de la Médina, which is concerned with the preservation and restoration of the old town. It is also planned to establish a museum of Arabic calligraphy, with a collection of inscribed gravestones of the ninth-11th centuries.

Notable features are the fine wood and stucco ceiling, the sumptuously decorated dome of the tomb and the inner courtyard with its beautiful arcades. This is due to become the headquarters of the Association de Sauvegarde de la Médina, which is concerned with the preservation and restoration of the old town.

Mosque of the three doors

2008-11-17T13:13:00.006+01:00

Just to the north of Bir Barouta is this small mosque which is one of the oldest buildings in Kairouan.
This mosque is noted for its three doors, a rather uncommon facade for a small mosque integrated in the street structure. Unfortunately, the entire inner structure is off-limits for non-Muslims, and the doors are closed for even a small peek inside.
The mosque dates back to the 9th century, a period from which there is little else in Kairouan. It was founded by Kairoun al-Maafri, a holy man of Cordoba.
Note the rich inscriptions above the doors, the top two bands are actually the oldest. Between the two top bands, is a band of floral decorations.

The interior is closed to non-Muslims, but the main feature anyway is the elaborate façade with its strong Andalusian influences. The mosque's three arched doorways are topped by intricate friezes of Kufic script, two of which name the mosque's founder, interspersed with floral reliefs and crowned with a carved cornice.

Aghlabid Basins

2008-11-17T12:17:00.007+01:00

To the north of the Kasbah in Kairouan, are the Aghlabid Basins which were built in the 9th century and restored 1969. These two pools (originally there were more) stored water for the Aghlabid palace which occupied the site of the present-day cemetery. The water was brought by an aqueduct from Djebel Cherichera, 36km (22 miles) away. The smaller basin (17-sided, 37m/121ft in diameter) was a settling tank, from which the water flowed into the larger one (48-sided, 128m/420ft in diameter, 10m/33ft deep), which had a capacity of 50,000cu.m/11 million gallons. In the center of the larger pool is the base of a pavilion in which the Aghlabid rulers used to relax.

There are today two ways of visiting the Aghlabid pools, either by the tourist center or the western gate leading into the park.
From the tourist center there is no gate into the park itself, all that is on offer are views from atop the building (see top photo). There are two reasons for this: from up here it is possible to get good views and photos, and you don't get to see how filthy the pools have become.

the tourist center: syndicate initiative

The Syndicat d'Initiative is located to the north of the town beside the Aghlabid Basins and is where you can obtain a single ticket which allows you admission into the main tourist attractions in Kairouan. The ticket, which costs TD7 plus TD1 for camera charge, includes entry into the Great Mosque, Aghlabid Basins, Zaouia of Sidi Sahab, Zaouia of Sidi Amor Abbada, Bir Barouta, Raqqada Islamic Art Museum and Zaouia of Sidi Abid el-Ghariani. If you're visiting the Aghlabid Basins, then stop off on the rooftop of the Syndicat d'Initiative for a good view of them.

Zaouia of Sidi Sahab also known as the Barber's Mosque

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About 1 km south-west of the Aghlabid Basins is the Zaouia of Sidi Sahab also known as the Barber's Mosque, a complex including a mausoleum and a medersa which was built between 1629 and 1692 over the tomb of one of Mohammed's companions who died in AD 685. According to legend Sidi Sahab, out of reverence for the Prophet, always carried a few hairs from his beard: hence the name of the Barber's Mosque.

The zaouia is notable for its magnificent decoration, much of which dates only from the 19th century. It is entered through a forecourt, on the left of which are the imam's lodgings, guest- rooms and ablution fountains. Opposite the entrance is the minaret. The forecourt also gives access to the medersa, laid out round a small courtyard, the prayer hall beyond it and (by way of a passage adjoining the minaret) another colonnaded courtyard, off which opens the tomb of Sidi Sahab (whose original name was Abu ZAma el balawi).

Bir Barouta

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The Bir Barouta / Barrouta = برّوطة was built by the Ottoman ruler Mohammed Bey in 1676 to surround a well that, according to legend, is connected by an underground channel with the Zemzem spring in Mecca.
Even today, the local religious traditions says that a Muslim drinking water from Bi'r Baruta a number of times is exempted from performing the pilgrimage to Mecca, a journey both long and expensive. A blindfolded camel is pulling the wheel, and the water that flushes out of the mugs you see on the picture is free to drink for anyone, Muslim or non-Muslim.
the Bi'r Barouta is — entrance through a small carpet shop and an interior no more spectacular than a middle-class family's courtyard — it is the historical focal point of Kairouan. It is this well that has elevated Kairouan into its prominent position in the heart of devout Muslims in this part of northern Africa.
On the first floor is draw-well where a blindfolded camel is marched around in circles which then hoists water up from the well via water-wheels. Originally the water was collected here and distributed in conduits to houses in the town but nowadays the whole business is purely a show put on for tourists.

The Great Mosque

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The Mosque of Uqba (Arabic: جامع عقبة), also known as the Great Mosque of Kairouan (Arabic: جامع القيروان الأكبر), is one of the most important mosques in Tunisia.

Built by Uqba ibn Nafi from 670 A.D. (the year 50 according to the Islamic calendar) at the founding of the city of Kairouan, the mosque is spread over a surface area of 900 square metres and is considered as a model for all later mosques in the Maghreb in the western Islamic world.

Under the Aghlabids, the fame of the Mosque of Uqba and of the other holy sites at Kairouan helped the city to develop and repopulate little by little. The university, consisting of scholars who met in the mosque, was a centre of education both in Islamic thought and in the secular sciences. Its role can be compared to that of the University of Paris in the Middle Ages. With the decline of the city, the centre of intellectual thought moved to the University of Ez-Zitouna in Tunis.

Construction

The present form of the mosque dates back to the Aghlabid dynasty (with the exception of a few partial restorations and several later additions). Prior to this era, the mosque had been reconstructed several times following the successive invasions of Kairouan. With the exception of the mihrab, no part of the mosque is older than the 9th century.

Shortly after its construction, the mosque was destroyed during the occupation of Kairouan by the Berbers, led at first by Kusaila (around 690). The mosque was reconstructed by the Arab Emir Ben Noman around 10 years later. In light of Kairouan’s growing population, Hichâm ibn Abd al-Malik, the Umayyad Caliph of Damascus, ordered work to be undertaken in the city, which included the destruction of the mosque (with the exception of the mihrab) and its subsequent reconstruction.

Under the Aghlabids, Kairouan was at its apogee and the mosque profited from this period of calm and prosperity. In 836, Ziadet-Allah I reconstructed the mosque once more. In 863, Abou-Ibrahim increased the size of the oratory with the addition of three bays to the north, and added the cupola over the entry. In 875, Ibrahim II constructed another three bays, thereby reducing the size of the courtyard which was further limited on the three other sides by the addition of double galleries. After this date, the mosque did not undergo more than minor changes or restoration work.

Description

The Mosque of Uqba greatly resembles an imposing fortress, a consequence of the 1.9 metre thick stones that were used to build its walls and its ramparts, in addition to its towers and the solid buttresses that support and strengthen the walls. The mosque takes the form of an irregular quadrilateral, which is wider on the side of the main entrance (138 metres) than on the opposite side (128 metres) and thinner on the side of the minaret (71 metres) than on the opposite side (77 metres).

The courtyard is accessible via six lateral doorways and forms a rectangle (approximately 60 metres x 40 metres in size) surrounded by galleries supported by columns made variously of marble, granite or porphyry and which were taken from ancient monuments (primarily from Carthage), as were those in the prayer hall. Near to the centre of the courtyard, there is a rainwater collector, which filters the water before allowing it to pass into the cistern located underneath the courtyard, and a sundial.

The minaret, which serves both as a watchtower and to call the faithful to prayer, is made of three tiers with a total height of 31.5 metres, thereby dominating the mosque. It is built on a square base that is 10.5 metres long on each side. The minaret, which was begun by the Umayyad governor Bishr Ibn Safouan around 725 and completed by the Aghlabid princes in the 9th century, is the fourth oldest in the world.

The prayer hall, which is accessible via 14 doors, is divided into 17 naves and eight bays including more than 400 columns similar to those in the courtyard. The minbar, which dates to the 9th century, making it the oldest in the Islamic world, is made of around 300 pieces of sculpted teak. To the right of it is the 'maksoura, a beautiful separating barrier which allows dignitaries to be separated from other visitors.

A legend says that it is not possible to count the columns of the Mosque of Uqba without going blind.

source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Mosque_of_Sidi-Uqba

photo source :http://www.tunisia.com/content/travel/tunisia-travel-guides/northern-tunisia/kairouan
http://www.pbase.com/bmcmorrow/kairouan&page=1

Kairouan WAlls

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the old Medina quarter is surrounded by walls

bab alchouhada ou known bab eljalladine

Bab tounes

Bab kouga

Bab ejjdid

carpet kairouan

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Kairouan is the carpet capital of Tunisia and the main area of Ave 7 Novembre in the Medina is the place you should head to if you want to see/buy them. There are also loads on display in the Maison du Gouverneur which is a museum that doubles as a carpet shop.

"Kairouan is one of the few places in Tunisia where the women do the weaving, chatting gaily as their deft fingers ply the shuttle. They turn out two types of carpet—pile and short-nap. The latter are subdivided into mergoums, which have a diamond pattern worked into a neutral ground, and klims, formed by alternate strips of natural-colored wools. Most sought after are the zerhiyas, which are pile rugs. Their traditional design of a central motif bordered by an arabesque pattern is largely responsible for the widespread appreciation of Kairouan carpets."
source :http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/196305/craftsman.of.tunisia.htm

Tunisia has a long tradition of weaving and is famous for its rugs, mergoums, kilims, as well as other tapestries and woven products. Already in the 5th century AD, the Greek poets complimented "the rugs and cushions of Carthage" and tribute payments to the Caliph of Baghdad were made partly in the form of Tunisian rugs. See Saudi Aramco World's online article "Craftsman of Tunisia" for more information on Tunisian weaving.

In Kairouan, women do the weaving. They produce two types of wool carpet - pile and short-nap. The short- nap carpets are either of the mergoum style (a diamond pattern worked into a neutral ground), and kilims (formed by alternate strips of natural-colored wools. The pile rugs, known as zerhivas consist of a central motif bordered by an arabesque pattern. While there is some room for variation, most of these rugs follow traditional designs and motifs. The zerhivas are more expensive than the short-nap carpets and take much longer to make. Those made out of silk were considerably more expensive but were beautiful.

Mergum

photo source : www.kairouan.org
http://fairwindandplentyofit.blogspot.com
http://muslimcultures.blogspot.com/2005/08/tunisia-hand-knotting-in-kairouan.html#links
http://homepage.mac.com/melissaenderle/tunisia/arts.html

Kairouan portal design

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If you walk away from the Ave 7 Novembre area and the area around the Grand Mosque, you'll find yourself pretty much by yourself walking down a maze of tight alleyways. Small houses are tightly packed in with some nice colourful doors and ornate doorways.

photo source : http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/p/m/3bdd61/

Kairouan maps

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photo source :http://www.pbase.com/bmcmorrow/kairouan

photo source :http://www.planetware.com/map/kairouan-map-tun-kai_n.htm

Kairouan Souk

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A souk (سوق, also sook, souq, or suq, or shuq in Hebrew, שוק) is a commercial quarter in an Arab or Berber city. The term is often used to designate the market in any Arabized or Muslim city. It may also refer to the weekly market in some smaller towns where neutrality from tribal conflicts would be declared to permit the exchange of surplus goods. In Modern Standard Arabic the term refers to markets in both the physical and abstract economic sense (e.g., an Arab would speak of the souq in the old city as well as the souq for oil, and would call the concept of the free market السوق الحرّ al-souq al-ḥorr).

source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Souk

Kairouan Bazaar.
Besides the 7th of November commercial street, Kairouan has a small Bazaar with shops and tea coffe shops, located under a long and fresh corridor, a good place to face the hot wheater.

Medina quarter

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The word "medina" (or Médina) itself simply means "city" or "town" in modern day Arabic.
Medinas often contain historical fountains, palaces, and mosques. The monuments are preserved for their cultural significance (and are also a draw for tourists).
Because of the very narrow streets, medinas are free from car traffic, and in some cases even motorcycle and bicycle traffic. The streets can be less than a metre wide. This makes them unique among highly populated urban centres.

source :http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medina_quarter

Kairouan's Medina (old town) is the best preserved in Tunisia. Some 1,000m/1,100yds long by 500m/550yds across, it is surrounded by a 3.5km/2mi long circuit of brick walls 10m/33ft high, reinforced by numerous towers. The present walls were built by the Husseinites between 1706-12 on the foundations of earlier walls dating from 1052, and have been frequently restored since then. The Medina here is a pleasant experience to walk around without being hasselled so much by souvenir sellers which can plague you in Medina's in Tunis and Sousse.

source : http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/9780e/22511f/4/#1830807

The Medina is the main place for shopping in Kairouan. You can buy all sorts of stuff such as brass plates, clothes, shoes, porcelain plates and bowls, leather goods etc. Most of it is pretty tacky but there are some nice items. All of the shops and stalls are located near enough on one street - Ave & Novembre which runs from Bab Tunis in the north of the Medina to Bab ech Chouhada in the south.

source photo : http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/pb/22511f/0/

What time is it ? Here »»»»»»

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History Kairouan II

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In 800 Ibrahim ibn al-Aghlab was confirmed Emir and hereditary ruler of Ifriqiya by Caliph Harun ar-Rashid in Baghdad. Ibrahim ibn al-Aghlab founded the Aghlabite dynasty that ruled Ifriqiya between 800 and 909. The new Emirs embellished Kairouan and made it their capital which soon became famous for its wealth and prosperity reaching the levels of Basra and Kufa and giving Tunisia one of its golden ages long sought after the glorious days of Carthage.
The Aghlabites built the great mosque and established in it a university that was a centre of education both in Islamic thought and in the secular sciences. Its role can be compared to that of the University of Paris in the Middle Ages. In the 9th century the city became a brilliant focus of Arab and Islamic cultures attracting scholars from all over the Islamic World. In that period Imam Sahnun and Asad ibn al-Furat made of Kairouan a temple of knowledge and a magnificent center of diffusion of Islamic sciences. The Aghlabites also built palaces, fortifications and fine waterworks of which only the pools remain. From Kairouan envoys from Charlemagne and the Holy Roman Empire returned with glowing reports of the Aghlabites palaces, libraries and gardens – and from the crippling taxation imposed to pay for their drunkenness and sundry debaucheries. The Aghlabite also pacified the country and conquered Sicily in 827.
In 893, through the mission of Ubaydalla Said, the Kutama Berbers from the west of the country started the movement of the Shiite Fatimids. The year 909 saw the overthrow of the Sunni Aghlabite that ruled Ifriqiya and the creation of the Shiite Fatimid dynasty. During the reign of the Fatimids, Kairouan was neglected and lost its importance as the new rulers resided first in Raqqada but soon moved their capital to the newly built Al Mahdiyah on the coast of modern Tunisia. After succeeding in extending their rule over all of central Maghreb, an area consisting of the modern countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya, they eventually moved west to Egypt to found Cairo making it the capital of their vast Califate and leaving the Zirids as their vassals in Ifriqiya. Governing again from Kairouan, the Zirids led the country through another artistic, commercial and agricultural heyday. Schools and universities flourished, overseas trade in local manufactures and farm produce ran high and the courts of the Zirids rulers were centers of refinement that eclipsed those of their European contemporaries.
When the Zirids declared their independence from Cairo and their conversion to Sunni Islam in 1045 by giving allegiance to Baghdad, the Fatimid Caliph Ma'ad al-Mustansir Billah sent as punishment hordes of troublesome Arab tribes (Banu Hilal and Banu Sulaym) to invade Ifriqiya. These invaders so utterly destroyed Kairouan in 1057 that it never regained its former importance and their influx was a major factor in the spread of nomadism in areas where agriculture had previously been dominant. Some 1700 years of intermittent but continual progress was undone within a decade as in most part of the country the land was laid to waste for nearly two centuries. In the 13th century under the prosperous Hafsids dynasty that ruled Ifriqiya, the city started to emerge from its ruins. It is only under the Husainid Dynasty that Kairouan started to find an honorable place in the country and throughout the Islamic world. In 1881, Kairouan was taken by the French, after which non-Muslims were allowed access to the city. Recently Kairouan was proclaimed as Capital of Islamic Culture for 2009.

source : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kairouan#History

History Kairouan I

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Kairouan was founded in about the year 670, the arab general "Uqba ibn Nafi" crossed the deserts of Egypt and began the first Muslem conquest of the Maghreb region of North Africa. Establishing military posts at regular intervals along his route, Uqba ibn Nafi came to the site of present day Kairouan and there decided to encamp his soldiers for some days (Kairouan, also spelled Qayrawan, means "camp" in Arabic).

Old chronicles describe the region as completely deserted, covered with impenetrable thickets, and being distant from trade routes. Apparently inhospitable as a long term settlement site, why then did this temporary military camp soon become the greatest Muslem city in North Africa and the 4th holiest city of Islam (after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem).
To answer this question we must look beyond historical records to the earliest legends of the site. Here we find mention of an incident that occurred during the initial encampment of Uqba ibn Nafi, an incident which, because of its miraculous nature, most history books have chosen to ignore. The legend tells of warrior's horse that stumbled on a golden goblet buried in the sands. This goblet was recognized as one that had mysteriously disappeared from Mecca some years before. When the goblet was dug from the desert sand, a spring miraculously appeared and the waters of this spring were said to issue from the same source that supplies the sacred Zamzam well in Mecca. The power of these three miracles - the mysteriously lost and then found Meccan goblet, the miraculous gushing forth of the spring, and the source of that spring - exercised a magnetic effect upon the early North African Islamic people and thereby established the site of Kairouan as a pilgrimage destination for ages to come.

It was located far from the sea where it was safe from continued attacks of the Berbers who have fiercely resisted the Arab invasion. Berber resistance continued, led first by Kusaila whose troops killed Uqba at Biskra about fifteen years after the military post was established, and then by a Berber woman called Al-Kahina who was killed and her army defeated in 702. Subsequently, there was a mass conversion of the Berbers to Islam, but they were for all that treated as second-class citizens in their native land. This consequent dissatisfaction led to their secession as Kharijites or Islamic ‘outsiders’ which formed an egalitarian and puritanical sect still present on the island of Jerba. In 745 Kharijite Berbers captured Kairouan, which was already at that time a developed city with luxuriant gardens and olive groves.

source : http://www.sacredsites.com/africa/tunisia/kairouan.html

introduction

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Kairouan is defined as the holiest city of Tunisia, being the oldest Islamic settlement, having the oldest mosque in North Africa and the world's oldest minaret.kairouan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and North Africa's most holy city. It has earned the name "City of 100 Mosques". Kairouan is 160 km south of Tunis, 60 km west of Sousse, and south-east of the Tell Mountains, on the Low Steppes, a fairly dry alluvial plain. The plain of Kairouan forms a vast basin, 100 km long (axis North - South) and 40 km wide (axis East - West).

Latitude: 35.66 Longitude: 10.1 Altitude: 60

The region proffers a semi-arid type of climate, characterized by important irregularities in rainfall, big thermal variations, dry summers and humid winters. The average annual rainfall is of the order of 290 mm. Winter rains are weak in intensity compared to autumnal rains. Violent storms principally burst in September and October, with precipitations that can attain 100 to 200 mm within 24 hours, often inducing floods.

Social data - demographic Accommodating one fifth of the total population of the ‘gouvernorate’ / Province (532,709 inhabitants in 1994) and close to 85% of the urban population, the city of Kairouan (102,634 inhabitants in 1994) received the bulk of the rural exodus, particularly after the floods of 1969. Since 1966 its rate of annual increase has continued to progress from 2.3% for the period 1966/1975, to 2.9% for the period 1975/1984 and to 4.3% for the period 1984/1994 (the average national rate in urban environment being 3.2%). In May 2004, new statistics are in the process of being drafted by the INS (National Census Bureau), and we await the results, which will appear soon, to communicate them to you.

source : www.kairouan.org

Religion There are many mosques in the city, among which the great mosque. After its establishment, Kairouan became an Islamic and Qur'anic learning center in North Africa. An article titled Towards a Strategic Geopolitic Vision of Afro-Arab Relations by Professor Kwesi Prah states "By 670, the Arabs had taken Tunisia, and by 675, they had completed construction of Kairouan, the city that would become the premier Arab base in North Africa. Kairouan was later to become the third holiest city in Islam in the medieval period, after Mecca and Medina, because of its importance as the centre of the Islamic faith in the Maghrib".Judaism, no longer prevalent in the city, has an illustrious history in Kairouan, particularly in the early Middle Ages. Rabbeinu Chananel was from Kairouan and many other important rabbis, including Rabbi Isaac Alfasi studied there with him.

Welcome

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My name is Chaker, i'm native of Kairouan.

This is my first experience in blogging, then i decide to introduce my city with some articles and photos.