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Mosque of the Three Doors
The Mosque of the Three Doors, 250m northeast of the Bir Barouta, was founded in AD 866 by Mohammed bin Kairoun el-Maafri, a holy man from the Spanish city of Cordoba. The interior is closed to non-Muslims, but the main feature is the elaborate façade, with its strong Andalusian in
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LAcropolium
The 1884 French-built LAcropolium is a Gothic extravaganza, an assertion of colonial power symbolically plonked in this historic location. It was dedicated to the 13th-century French saint-king Louis who died on the beach at Carthage in 1270 during the ill-fated Eighth Crusade (he
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Medina
Northwest and north of the port is the medina, known as the Ville Arabe (Arab town) during the French period. The richly decorated, lavishly tiled Zaouia of Sidi Mokhtar (5 rue de la Grande Mosquée) is well worth a look in, and next door is the Great Mosque. West of the mosque is t
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Cathedral of St Vincent de Paul
There are some fine examples of colonial architecture in the Ville Nouvelle, ranging from the exuberant to the bizarre. Cathedral of St Vincent de Paul sits comfortably in the bizarre camp. This custard-coloured 1883 cathedral melds Gothic, Byzantine and Moorish elements. There are
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Pupput
The Roman site of Pupput is 6.5km southwest of the Hammamet town centre. Nowadays wedged between Hammamets hotels and nightclubs, this was once a staging post on the Roman road from Carthage to Hadrumetum (Sousse). The name suggests that it occupies the site of an earlier Punic set
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Tourbet el
The Tourbet el-Bey has the green fish-scale domes typical of mausoleums. Inside is a mishmash of tiles and intricate stucco, built during Ali Pasha IIs reign (1758-82). Many subsequent Husseinite beys (provincial governors), princesses, ministers and trusted advisers ended up here.
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Souq el
The medina markets (souqs) were organised into different commercial areas. Refined trades surrounded the Zaytouna Mosque, while dirtier businesses such as tanners or blacksmiths stayed on the outskirts. The markets are either named after their traditional trade or their founding co
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Islamic Monuments
There are some interesting Islamic monuments around town. On the edge of the souq is the imposing Zaouia of Sidi Ibrahim (rue 2 Mars 1934), which contains the tomb of the 17th-century saint. On the other side of the road is the multi-domed Mosque of the Strangers (ave Abdelhamid el
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Souq des Etoffes
North of the Great Mosque is the wonderful world of the covered souqs. The main souq heading north is the celebrated Souq des Etoffes, which was used as the setting for the Cairo markets in the film The English Patient . The shops here stock a range of Berber rugs, blankets and oth
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Aghlabid Basins
These cisterns, built by the Aghlabids in the 9th century are more impressive because of their engineering sophistication than as sights in themselves. Water was delivered by aqueduct from the hills 36km west of Kairouan into the smaller settling basin and then into the enormous ma
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Mosque of Youssef Dey
There are mosques all over the medina; interiors are off-limits to non-Muslims. The finest include Mosque of Youssef Dey, Tunis first Ottoman-style mosque (1616), designed by Andalusian architect Ibn Ghalib in a colourful mishmash of styles. It was surrounded by Turkish souqs - El-
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fish market
The daily auctions at the fish market are a good change of pace from tourist Jerba. They take place late in the morning in the northeast corner of the Marché Central. Auctioneers command attention performing their bit of mercantile theatre siting on elevated thrones touting strings
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Sousse Archaeological Museum
Sousses excellent archaeological museum occupies the southern section of the old kasbah . One of the best collections of mosaics in the country is housed in the rooms around the kasbahs two main courtyards. The highlight is the room on the northern side of the entrance courtyard wi
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La Grotte Beach
Following ave de la Corniche northward all the way to the radar station, looping around the headland and then heading west will take you to La Grotte Beach, a dramatic - if narrow - beach thats popular with Tunisian families. Its protected to the west by the white cliffs of Cap Bla
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Tunis Medina
This sprawling maze of ancient streets and alleyways is a national treasure. Its home to numerous cave-like souqs selling everything from shoes to shisha pipes, as well as lavishly tiled cafes, back streets full of artisans at work, and residential areas punctuated by grand, bright
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Maison du Gouverneur
This 18th-century residence of the former beys or pashas of Kairouan called the Maison du Gouverneur, signposted as Tapis-Sabra, is an exquisitely restored medina house and an extravagant counterpoint to the austerity of the Aghlabids. The interior is a sumptuous combination of ced
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Carthage
This Punic and Roman site lies northeast of the city and is easily reached by the suburban train from Tunis Marine TGM station. Get off at Carthage Hannibal station and wander up to the top of Byrsa Hill for a fine view across the site. Youll have to use a bit of historical sixth s
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Kasbah & Kasbah Mosque
On the north side of the entrance to the old port stands the 10m-high fortified walls of the kasbah. Along with its kid brother, the ksibah (small fort) on the southern side, it was originally built by the Byzantines in the 6th century AD. Todays kasbah , constructed in the Ottoman
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Museum of Popular Arts & Traditions
Though the displays arent especially exciting, a visit to this little museum does provide some context and perspective on the culture of the island, one youre unlikely to get at the beaches of Sidi Mahares. It houses a good collection of local costumes as well as pottery and jewell
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Zitouni Hammam
You havent fully experienced Tunisia until youve been scrubbed down with an oven scourer by an enthusiastic elderly masseur. The oldest and most atmospheric hammams (public bathhouse) are in the medina, keeping residents steamed and cleaned. Often recognisable by their candy-stripe
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