Monuments to visit Tunisia

Superb view from the guard roads! Built around 1392 on the ruins of the ancient Roman city of Girba (now Houmt Souk), whose vestiges are used in the construction of the work. Around 1450, it was extended. Nearby is Borj Er Rous, where the massacre perpetrated by the troops of the Turk Dragut took place: here was built the "tower of skulls", the pirate having piled the skulls of his enemies. In 1848 it was replaced by an obelisk of 9 m.

It is in fact a market that spreads over several streets in the center of the city. You can find many spices coming from the region or from farther away. Among the local spices, the dried pepper. Don't miss the henna powder, this coloring and medicinal plant cultivated in the oasis of Gabes. You will also find objects made from palm trees: baskets, hats, etc. Have a coffee on the roadside, close to the souk, or ask for a ride to the "Casse-Croute Fitouri", behind the main square, where you will taste good sandwiches for less than 2 DT!

Composed of two basins, they are the only remnant of Gafsa. A few years ago, the inhabitants of Gafsa were happy to bathe there. Above the pool, a large ostensibly contemporary fresco represents Neptune. The redevelopment of the site was carried out in 1993.

Dating from the 15th century and built on Byzantine ruins, the Kasbah of Gafsa is located behind the courthouse. It was restored after having been particularly damaged during the Second World War by the explosion of a German ammunition depot. A very pleasant garden, fed by thermal springs, brings calm and serenity. This place contrasts strongly with the tumult of the city. It is a pleasant place for a walk that we recommend during your stay in the city of Gasfa.

Abou el-Kacem Chebbi, born in 1909 in Tozeur and died on October 9, 1934 in Tunis, is a Tunisian poet considered by some as the national poet of the country. Despite his early death, due to poor health, he published seven volumes of poetry, some of whose lines are now part of the national anthem of Tunisia. In this pleasant mausoleum paved with colorful mosaics, you will learn more about his life and read some of his poems in Arabic, but also in French.

It is necessary to make speak the stones of this imposing site to measure its importance! In front of us, there are remains of the forum, and of religious and official buildings, the most important of which was the capitol. On the edge extend the vestiges of middle-class dwellings. Of Punic origin, the city of Gigthis was, in the 6th century B.C., part of the territory submitted to Carthage. In the first century, Gigthis was an elaborate city, and then it became a municipe. From then on, it never ceased to flourish and became one of the most prosperous city-countries of the Gulf.

With its 514 square kilometers, the island of Djerba has long been both a crossroads of trade and a place of refuge and settlement for populations of various origins. Over the centuries, its strategic location and flat topography have exposed it to all the covetousness of invaders coming from more or less far. An exceptional urbanism developed there from the 9th to the 18th century. This urbanism was guided by the imperative of defense and by the need to make the best use of scarce resources, whether water or food. The result was a deliberately dispersed urbanism, shaping the territory according to a division into neighborhoods(houma) and creating an original landscape. Each houma is composed of a series of menzels, which are areas of daily life and agricultural activities of 2 to 4 hectares. Dwelling, well, threshing floor, storage rooms... The whole of these houma with their menzel is structured around numerous tortuous tracks and paths spread all over the island of Djerba. If there are still menzels in activity today in Djerba, and that one can possibly cross some at random, it is not obvious to visit some. It remains above all places of private life. An excellent way to discover them is to visit the reconstructed menzel in the Djerba Heritage section of Djerba Explore. At the time of writing this guide, for the quality of its urban landscapes, Djerba is a candidate for inclusion in the Unesco World Heritage List!

The city center is quite charming and not very touristy. It is a place of really pleasant stroll, we recommend it. The white sand beaches with the blue-green sea alternate with others, rocky and wilder. Those along the coast near the city are not too crowded, because located outside the tourist area, so it is mostly Tunisians who swim there. The hotel zone, which extends north of the city towards the sweet island, is more and more frequented, and hotels have sprung up there in number...

Don't miss the market of Douz, on Thursday morning, where the city comes alive and vibrates differently. It is one of the most important markets in this region. Here you will meet men straight out of the desert, draped in their colorful chèches. The market occupies the central square and street, it is a vast place of exposure for the salesmen who do not seek to bait the tourist, even if one finds there some stalls of craft industry. Do not hesitate to drink a coffee at the edge of the street, you will take full eyes. You will see nomads coming to sell their fruits and vegetables produced in one of the oasis of the region, as well as merchants of handicraft clothes quite famous. But it is especially for its market with the animals, located below, on a place adjoining the palm plantation, that this day attracts the farmers of all the area. At the foot of the palm trees, sheep, chickens and rabbits are jostling each other in great numbers in an atmosphere full of cries, colors and unexpected smells. Depending on the season, you will also see camels. An incredible crowd of people crowds around the animals. Older men chat or play cross-legged games while waiting for a potential buyer to show up, while younger ones watch the eager animals. The children are busy selling rabbits and chickens, giving them a chance to learn their trade. A market as it is rare to see, and a 100% local experience, because you will cross here few tourists.