AL-QINAI MOSQUE

Built in 1196 after the death of Sidi Abd al-Rahim al-Qinai, a man of faith descended from the house of the Prophet Mohammed, the mosque was remodelled in 1721 during the Ottoman period. In the shape of a rectangle, the prayer hall is supported by 24 antique reused pillars, both from Pharaonic and Greek monuments. Its minaret, which stands 33 m high, is considered to be one of the most beautiful of its kind, made of wood and brick. It was also used as a lighthouse when the city had an important port activity.