Travel Guide Zaghouan

Located about sixty kilometers south of Tunis, it is another Tunisia that offers itself to the traveler with the small city of Zaghouan (20 000 inhabitants)! Originally Berber, Punic then Roman, Zaghouan was, after the Islamic conquest, an important center of culture and spirituality. The Moriscos, driven out of Andalusia, settled there in 1609. The influence of these different civilizations can be found throughout the region. The current city is still marked by the Andalusian architectural imprint. Zaghouan is a town with steep streets and small squares offering views of the plain. It is traditionally one of the water suppliers of the capital, thanks to the springs of the djebel Zaghouan (1 295 meters of altitude).This water is omnipresent in the white and blue city, notably in the form of numerous fountains where the inhabitants come to fill up cans and bottles. The water still favored the local agriculture, as evidenced by the important rural market on Friday. The main monuments of the city are also linked to the nearby springs. Thus the very beautiful temple of the Waters (or of Nymphaeus) at the foot of the cliff opens in an arc on the plain. The temple ends with a basin which feeds an aqueduct, dating from the same period. 70 kilometers long, the aqueduct supplied drinking water to the city of Carthage. Thanks to regular restorations, notably in the 10th and 12th centuries, it is still today in a rather remarkable state, and one can admire it (without getting out of the car), all along the Zaghouan-Tunis road. Closer to home, Zaghouan also offers visitors its Great Mosque as well as the monument dedicated to the city's marabout protector, Sidi Ali Azouz (19th century). It may be interesting to compare the style of the Great Mosque with that of its cousin, the new Great Mosque, built in 1982. For amateur mountaineers, the ascent of Jebel Zaghouan is a relatively arduous exercise. The national park of Jebel Zaghouan is accessible to all nature lovers: hiking, trekking, kayaking... there is something for everyone. For the gustatory trip, a visit to Zaghouan requires that you taste the "kaak warka", the most famous cakes of the city, made of almond powder and rosehip water. A delight!