Things to see and do Tunis

The (very beautiful and well-preserved) Catholic Saint-Vincent-de-Paul cathedral, in Romanesque-Byzantine style, is close to the Place de l'Indépendance. It is named after the founder of the Lazarists and the Daughters of Charity who was sold as a slave in Tunis at the beginning of the 17th century while still a young priest. Built in several phases between 1893 and 1897, it was renovated in the late 1990s. The building hosted a visit by Pope John Paul II in 1998.

This mosque, also known as the El Jenaïz Mosque or Funeral Mosque, was built by the man of faith and science Abu Mohammed Abd'Ullah el Maghrébi and a Hafsid princess. It was enlarged twice. Its Andalusian-style minaret, beautifully decorated with arabesques, was restored towards the end of the 19th century by the architect Ahmed Chérif. It strongly resembles that of the El Kasbah Mosque. The mihrab, which is very special, is covered with a black and white marble frame that gives it a lot of lustre.

Located at the corner of the Rue des Libraires and the souk El Karachine and close to the Great Mosque, this medersa was founded in 1754, also by Ali Pasha, who gave it the name of his son Suleimane, murdered by one of his brothers. It is distinguished by a very interesting porch, supported by Ottoman-style columns and topped by a cornice of green tiles. In the courtyard, whose entrance is decorated with earthenware tiles, there is a beautiful colonnaded gallery. This medersa is today occupied by a medical association.

This is the central market of the city, which is also called "Fondouk al Ghalla", which literally means "fruit inn". This is where you will find everything that can be eaten in a market, in terms of fruits and vegetables, but also fish. The central market is particularly lively in the morning. So, trust your senses, sight and smell in mind, and stroll among the stalls to get an idea of the flavor of the Tunisian capital!

This mausoleum is devoted to the husseinites sovereigns who succeeded from Ali Pasha II in the th century. Surmounted by domes, the rooms in this vast building have a rich Spanish-Italian decor. They house the tombs of the princes, but also their ministers and servants who they did not want to separate into death. One of the rooms is characterized by an egg-shaped dome. The tombs of men with a tombstone surmounted by a turban or tarbouch (rounded round cap) are recognised, while those of women have a stone on each side of a marble plate.

This splendid residence was built at the end of the 16th century by the wealthy Othman Dey, who wanted a quiet place to live in peace, and occupied it until his death in 1610. Dar Othman has a facade with marble columns, a patio surrounded by porticoes with two-colored pointed arches and Moorish-style colonnades. Both sober and magnificent, the decoration borrows the most beautiful materials (marble, ceramics) without being ostentatious. An interior garden replaced the paving of the courtyard in 1936. The site is unfortunately not always open.

This late ^18th century building houses the Musée des Arts et Traditions Populaires. The various collections are showcased in this beautifully appointed family home. Both communal areas and apartments are harmoniously decorated to suit their purpose. A reconstruction of the daily life of a well-to-do ^19th-century family, in its setting and customs. Since 2009, the museum has been closed for restoration work. At the time of our visit, the date of reopening was not known.

It is a vast bourgeois mansion, built in 1796 by Dar Ben Abdallah. It exhibits, in a reconstituted decor, many jewellery, toys, traditional costumes and antique furniture.

Dar Hussein now houses the headquarters of the Institut National du Patrimoine. The palace was built on the site of an earlier palace by the bey's son-in-law, Ismaïl Khalia, in the second half of the ^18th century. Later, it housed various ministers and dignitaries until the arrival of the French in 1881. In 1882, General Forgemol installed the staff and headquarters of the new municipality here, at the same time deciding on the development of the square. The galleried courtyard is decorated with earthenware and Corinthian columns, further embellishing the building.

This mosque, also known as the Dyers' Mosque, is due to Hussein Bey, the founder of the Husseinite dynasty. It was inaugurated in 1727 after four years of construction. The octagonal minaret, in Algerian style, bears a strong resemblance to that of the Hammouda Pasha Mosque. The prayer room contains numerous sculptures in marble, wood and plaster. The mihrab is decorated with plaster carvings. There is also a small mausoleum, supposedly built to house the remains of Hussein Bey.

Built during the reign of the Husseinite bey Ali ^I Pasha, this medersa housed sixteen rooms for students of the Malikite rite from the interior of the country. The façade features a beautiful veneer of marble, light limestone and shell sandstone. To the right of the entrance, a window houses a public fountain. The courtyard, surrounded by colonnades, is superb. Cultural activities are sometimes organized, but according to local residents, the site is little used. It has just been restored and is well worth a visit, particularly for its beautiful earthenware.

The public reception point of the National Tourist Office of Tunisia, located in the city center, near Habib Bourguiba Avenue. You will find there most of the regional brochures and precious information for your travels... For train and bus schedules, however, it is better to go directly to the stations concerned; we will simply indicate the websites to consult.

Located at the corner of the street of the Kasbah, it was built in 1655 by the bey Hammouda Pacha al-Mouradi. It is, after the mosque of Youssef Dey, the second Hanafite mosque of Tunis. Its minaret is octagonal with, at its head, a balcony topped by a pyramid. The mosque has three courses. The one on the right, with capitals where the Italian influence can be read, shelters the tomb of Hammouda, an astonishing masterpiece of 17th century art. Just next door, the Ech Chammaia medersa houses a crafts center and an old library.

Located west of the government palace, near Bab Menara, in the Beni Khorassen district and dating from the 16th century, this sumptuous residence is one of the oldest in the medina. Since the eighteenth century, it bears the name of its owners of Spanish origin and enriched in the fez trade. This palace is now classified as a historical monument. The courtyard is surrounded by porticoes with columns and hafsid capitals and, on one side, niches with benches. A gallery runs from one corner to the other, with a wooden balustrade.

Located near El Marr Street and Bab Jedid Street, it dates back to 1375. The minaret is wide and of Hafsid style. It was probably added during the renovations of the 13th century, but its lantern remains reduced. The courtyard is narrow and extends on both sides of the prayer hall. There is also an outside mihrab to take full advantage of the prayer on sunny days. The dome of this mihrab is classified as a curiosity thanks to its octagonal shape, a trend that certainly came from Algeria at the time.

Dated 1673, it's not to be missed. Today craft school, it was built for students of Malekite rite, therefore Tunisian, by the Mouradite beys; wealthy, but without any legitimacy by their Hanafite (Ottoman) origin. Seeking full recognition from the Tunisian population, they financed the construction of this beautiful medersa in the place of a former Ottoman barracks. Once the studded door is passed, one reaches an elegant courtyard with gallery, others in floor bringing to the unit smoothness and harmony.

This mosque was built at the request of Mohammed Bey al-Mouradi, towards the end of the 17th century, on the Ottoman model. It is not without analogies with the al-Ahmediye mosque of Istanbul. The only mosque with domes in Tunisia, it is regularly considered to be the most beautiful in the capital. Its walls are covered with earthenware and ceramics; its minaret, square, is topped by a small lantern. Opposite the mosque stands the zaouïa of Sidi Mahrez, patron saint of the city and very venerated saint of Tunisians.

Located near Dar El Bey, the present Government Palace in the Kasbah and dating from 1612, it is the first Hanafite mosque in Tunis. Its minaret is based on a square topped by an octagonal tower, the first built in this way in the capital. Its lantern is surmounted by a pyramid. The minbar is beautifully covered with marble panels. The mausoleum of the founder of the mosque is square, houses the tomb of Youssef Dey, and is rightly considered a masterpiece. Its roof is made entirely of tiles.

The old El Attarine barracks, now home to the National Library, date back to 1814 and were built by Hammouda Pacha, who wanted the city to be well defended. After building the city walls, he installed 5 barracks inside the enclosure. These were gradually dismantled under the French protectorate and, in 1881, the El Attarine barracks became the administrative headquarters of the Antiquities Department. At the same time, it housed a general library, whose stock was gradually added to over the years. Open to all.

It is the family mausoleum of Princess Aziza Othmana, benefactress of the city and her subjects, who lived in the 17th century. The tomb of the princess is close to that of her grandfather, framed by the tombs of his servants and the burial chamber reserved for his family. The princess requested in her last will and testament that flowers be placed on her grave every day. Today, in place of the flowers, there is a beautiful ceramic decoration that adorns the interior of the building, surmounted by the vault of a dome decorated with stucco.

Very active since 1967, this association has a comprehensive website, listing all the sites and monuments under its responsibility. To visit the ASM and collect information directly, go to Dar Lasram: the organization is based within its walls. The objectives are multiple: to make the public aware of the importance of urban heritage and to promote the safeguarding of the Medina, to preserve and restore its monuments...

Located in the medina, close to the Great Mosque, it is the oldest. Established on the site of a former caravanserai where wine was sold, it stands out for the finesse of its Ottoman-inspired columns and arches. Built in 1714, the Ennakhla (or Palm) medersa owes its name to the tree that stood in the middle of the courtyard, a garden that can still be seen today. Not easily accessible to tourists, the medersa is in operation and closes during Ramadan.

Built between 1860 and 1870 by Minister Kheïreddine, this former palace located in the medina has been classified as a historical monument since 1992. Very little remains of the original construction. Only the living room and its cast iron fireplace have resisted the numerous works over the years. Since 1999, it houses the museum of the city of Tunis in the north wing. This museum regularly hosts exhibitions and presents itself as one of the largest art galleries in the capital.

According to the inhabitants of the medina, it would be one of the most beautiful residences of Tunisia! This rather recent palace (it dates from the nineteenth century) has been restored by the municipality of Tunis and is a symbol of the political will to preserve the heritage of the old city by adapting it to modern life. It houses the Association for the Safeguarding of the Medina and its architectural and urban planning office working in the preservation of the monuments of the medina. Given the beauty of the place (several rooms, mosaics, stucco ...), it could still be much better highlighted!

In the middle of Souk El Blat lies this palace, once owned by religious dignitaries who settled in Tunis in the ^16th century, then by the Naccache family, and finally by Hammouda Ben Abdelaziz. It was the wealthy Turkish Bach-Hamba family who gave the palace its name and prestige when they acquired it. The palace was the headquarters of the Art Rue association, which works for the democratization of the arts and the development of artistic residencies in Tunis (more information on lartrue.org), and will soon be home to other associations.

Located near a fountain, it has a beautiful square courtyard, with an alignment of black marble columns, topped with white capitals. Built in 1754, it bears the name of its builder - Ali Pasha. The building has thirteen rooms that were used for student accommodation, a prayer room and a library. The architecture is adorned with a rich decoration of carved plaster and ceramic tiles. It now houses a center for learning crafts.

Superb palace built at the beginning of the 19th century, during the reign of Mahmoud Bey, by his son Hussein. The door of the residence, framed in limestone (kadhal), is studded with vertical and horizontal lines and opens onto a large rectangular vestibule (driba) and another less large vestibule (skifa). The patio is limited by two porticoes with three arches. This palace hosts today an association of calligraphers. If you are lucky enough to fall during a class, you may be offered to write your first name!

Close to Bab Menara, northwest of the medina. Located on the site of the oldest cemetery in Tunis, this mausoleum bears the name, barely deformed, of the family that ruled the city in the 12th century (Beni Khorassen). One will be interested in particular in the very old inscriptions affixed to the stones. The primitive building was erected in the 11th century and houses the tombs of this famous dynasty. It has been restored and renovated over the centuries.

Built in the Halfaouine district in 1814 by Youssef Saheb At Tabâa, the minister of the Husseinite bey Hammouda Pacha, it is one of the most beautiful mosques in Tunis. It is also marked by Italian influences. The foundations were built using stone from Carthage. The minaret is octagonal in shape. Its crowning glory was left unfinished on the death of Saheb At Tabâa, and completed in 1970. The mosque contains 2 small necropolises. One houses the tomb of its founder, the other those of the master builder and historian Ibn Abi Dhiaf.

This palace was built at the end of the 18th century by the Husseinite bey, on the site of another princely palace from the Mouradite period. The richness of its interior design, the Andalusian and Byzantine influenced decoration around its patio and its luminosity are remarkable. The bey welcomed his distinguished guests there until the arrival of the French, after which the palace was used to house officials. Today, it has regained much of its lustre, since it has become the administrative residence of the Prime Minister. The palace cannot be visited.

The MDINTI is a group of economic interest federating several economic actors of the medina of Tunis. It brings together artisans, restaurateurs, owners of guest houses and booksellers. Their goal? To revitalize the life of the medina while preserving and enhancing its tangible and intangible heritage. Various activities are proposed: guided tours, cooking workshops, cultural meetings, treasure hunts, etc. Some activities are free, others are not. Find out more on their Facebook page, which is well updated.