Kairouan's official information site www.kairouan.org |
Map of Tunisia |
Gute Fahrt - Bonne Route - طريق السلامة |
Road sign for Sfax and Kairouan |
Old French colonial era church in Enfida, Tunisia |
Old French colonial era church in Enfida, Tunisia |
Stocky minaret near Enfida enroute to Kairouan |
Barren plains surrounding Kairouan, the first settlement founded during the Arab conquest of Tunisia in 670 AD |
The open plains around Kairouan, Tunisia |
Women riding a donkey cart with hay along the road to Kairouan |
The road to Kairouan |
Landscape around Kairouan |
Monument in the form of a carpet welcoming you to Kairouan |
Low building outside the Aghlabid Basins, Kairouan |
Aghlabid Basins, Kairouan |
Aghlabid Basins, Kairouan |
Aghlabid Basins, Kairouan |
Aghlabid Basins, cisterns on the edge of Kairouan, 9th C. AD, 5m deep x 128m |
The water in the Aghlabid Basins comes by aqueduct from the hills west of the city |
Hotel Continental, a place basking in former glory |
The rooms at the Hotel Continental are fine but the whole place lacks character |
Slim and his infamous swimming fish |
The new President (since 1987) Ben Ali of Tunisia |
Tile map of the Kairouan |
Plan de la Ville de Kairouan |
Tile map of the medina of Kairouan |
Agence Nationale du Patrimoine Association de Sauvegarde de la Ville de Kairouan |
UNESCO World Heritage site - the Medina of Kairouan |
Minaret of the Zaouia of Sidi Sahab, the tomb of Abu Zama el-Belaoui a companion of the Prophet Mohammed |
Minaret of the Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
Most of the current building is 17th C. on a 7th C. site |
The guards of the prison behind me are twitching nervously at the site of a foreigner with a camera |
Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
Ceramic tile panels, Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
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Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
Tunisian brass lantern hanging in a corridor, Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
Tunisian style Islamic tiles, Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
Glazed ceramic tiles, Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
Ornate carved stonework, Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
Ornate carved stonework, Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
Woman sitting by a door |
Abu Zama el-Belaoui, sahab (companion) of Mohammed, always carried 3 hairs from the Prophet's beard earning him the title Barber |
Courtyard, Zaouia of Sidi Sahab, also known as the Mosque of the Barber |
Detail of the Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
Courtyard, Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
Tunisian glazed tiles, Zaouia of Sidi Sahab, Kairouan |
Ornate carved stonework, Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
Watchmen keeping non-muslims from entering the tomb |
Prayer rugs piled in a corner of the mosque |
Kairouan is the 4th Holiest City of Islam, after Mecca (Makkah), Medina and Jerusalem (Al-Quds) |
Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
White dome, Zaouia of Sidi Sahab |
Brick dome across from the Zaouia of Sidi Sahab, Kairouan |
Street scene in Kairouan as we head for the medina |
Monument to Allah, Kairouan |
Musée de l'Artisanat, aka Giftshop, Kairouan |
View of the Great Mosque of Kairouan from the terrace of the Musée de l'Artisanat, one of several open to tourists |
Minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Rue Okba ibn Nafaa, Kairouan |
Enclosed balcony, Kairouan |
Young cabinet maker at work, Kairouan |
Boys in another carpentry workshop in the medina of Kairouan |
The Great Mosque of Kairouan, the oldest in North Africa, dates from 670 AD with the present structure built in the 9th C. |
Ablutions block of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Ablutions block of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Entrance to the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Rue el-Kadraoui, Medina of Kairouan |
The salvaged dome of a medina building undergoing total reconstruction |
Guidelines for visiting the Great Mosque |
Entrance to the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Official price list of hand woven Tunisian carpets based on knot count |
View of the 9th C. minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan from an adjacent terrace |
View of the 9th C. minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan from an adjacent terrace |
Courtyard of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Pedestrians strolling down Rue Okba ibn Nafaa along the wall of the Great Mosque |
Low end machine made carpets for the tourist market |
Tunisian tilework, Kairouan |
Carpets depicting touristy scenes of Tunisia |
Map of the Medina of Kairouan in Tunisian tilework |
Minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Minaret of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Centre D'Artisanat de Tapis - one of Kairouan's many carpet shops, "Large Selection, Shipping to All Countries" |
Great Mosque of Kairouan, northwestern end |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Looking back along Rue Okba ibn Nafaa along the wall of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Carpet shop near the Great Mosque on Rue Sidi Abdelbader, Kairouan |
Tapis des Aghlabites carpet shop, Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Rue de la Kasbah, Medina of Kairouan |
This fancy giftshop has a great rooftop terrace view |
Another rooftop terrace affording a great view of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
The shopkeepers didn't harass me much for not buying anything |
Courtyard of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Cemetary just outside the medina walls, Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Rue El-Habli, Kairouan Medina |
Blue doorway, Rue de la Kasbah, Kairouan |
Double blue doors, Rue de la Kasbah, Kairouan |
Rue de la Kasbah, Kairouan |
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Zaouia Sidi Abdelkader - Tomb of Abdelkader, Kairouan medina |
Zaouia Sidi Abdelkader - Tomb of Abdelkader, Kairouan medina |
Kairouan Medina |
Kairouan Medina |
Back to the Great Mosque |
Great Mosque |
View from the top of a building under renovation Dad and Slim found |
Kairouan Medina and Great Mosque |
Kairouan Medina |
Kairouan Medina looking out towards the barren plains surrounding the city |
Dome in the Kairouan Medina |
Great Mosque in the distance |
Painter applying stenciled artwork to a dome under restoration |
Traditional house under restoration, Kairouan medina |
Traditional house under restoration, Kairouan medina |
Kairouan Medina |
Kairouan Medina along Rue de la Kasbah |
Kairouan Medina along Rue de la Kasbah |
Tapis El Kasba, Kairouan |
Tapis El Kasba, Kairouan |
Tapis El Kasba, Kairouan |
Traditional Tunisian houses aren't big on windows |
Dad knocking on the Kasbah door with Slim |
Mosque on Ave Ibn el-Jazzar outside the medina walls, Kairouan |
Minaret outside the Kairouan medina near the Hotel la Kasbah |
Minaret outside the Kairouan medina near the Hotel la Kasbah |
Avenue Ibn el-Jazzar, Kairouan |
Avenue Ibn el-Jazzar, Kairouan |
Avenue Ibn el-Jazzar, Kairouan |
The massive walls of the Kasbah, Kairouan |
The Kasbah (fort) of Kairouan is now an upmarket hotel |
Hotel La Kasbah - Kairouan |
El-Kasbah - ÇáÞÕÈÉ |
Lobby of the Hotel la Kasbah |
Pool in the courtyard of the Hotel la Kasbah, Kairouan |
Hotel la Kasbah, Kairouan |
Hotel la Kasbah, Kairouan |
Inside the walls of the old Kasbah, Kairouan, now part of the hotel |
Hotel la Kasbah, Kairouan |
Hotel la Kasbah, Kairouan |
Hotel la Kasbah, Kairouan |
Dad and Slim at the Hotel la Kasbah, Kairouan |
La Kasbah, Kairouan |
The Kasbah meets the Medina, Kairouan |
Bab Tunis, Kairouan Medina |
Bab Tunis, Kairouan Medina |
Bab Tunis, Kairouan Medina |
Bab Tunis, Kairouan Medina |
Bab Tunis, Kairouan Medina |
Shop in the souq near the Bab Tunis |
Kairouan kitty taking a catnap |
Rasins, souq of Kairouan |
Ave 7 Novembre is the main commercial street through the souqs of Kairouan connecting the Bab Tunis with Bab El-Chouhada |
Dolls and toy camels, Kairouan medina |
Horsecart driving along Av 7 Novembre, Kairouan medina |
Jamaica fan on a bike in the Kairouan medina |
Young man selling slices of the Kairouan delicacy makhroudh ( مقروض ) |
The Hammam of Kairouan |
Dusk falls over the Kairouan medina |
Souq salesman, Kairouan |
They look like kitty beds to me but you fill them with stuffing to make small stools |
Stuffed horses and camels, Kairouan souq |
Traditional clothing, Kairouan souq |
Maghreb style hooded robe, Kairouan |
Minaret silhouetted against the darkening sky |
Tunisian sandals (bulagha - ÈáÛÉ) Kairouan souq |
Tunisian leather slippers, (bulagha - ÈáÛÉ) Kairouan souq |
Although Kairouan has no ancient history there are some shops selling mosaics |
Tunisian ceramics, Kairouan souk |
Ceramic lamps, Kairouan souq |
Carpet shops near the Bir Barouta, Kairouan medina |
Bir Barouta, built over a well in 1676 |
Bir Barouta's camel powered well is traditionally said to be linked with the holy Zam Zam well in Mecca |
The camel had the evening off |
Slim arranged tea for us with Kairouan's director of tourism |
The young son of Kairouan's director of tourism |
The young son of Kairouan's director of tourism |
Jewellery shop in the Kairouan souq |
Evening in the souq of Kairouan |
Kairouan |
TunisiaMay06 327.jpg |
Segni, specialities of Kairouan, the best makhroudh ( مقروض ) |
Segni makhroudh shop, Kairouan |
Makhroudh ( مقروض ) specialities of Kairouan |
Makhroudh ( مقروض ) specialities of Kairouan |
Tiles of a woman making makhroudh, Segni |
Tile of the Great Mosque of Kairouan, Segni makhroudh shop, Kairouan |
Tile of the Great Mosque of Kairouan, Segni makhroudh shop, Kairouan |
Place des Martyrs, Kairouan |
Bab al-Chouhada |
Bab el-Chouhada |
Shop on Place des Martyrs at night, Kairouan |
Shop on Place des Martyrs at night, Kairouan |
A book in a Tunisian bookstore |
Late in the medina |
Leather craftsman in his shop, Kairouan |
Medina of Kairouan at night |
Mosque of the Three Doors, 866 AD |
Mosque of the Three Doors, 866 AD |
Kairouan medina at night |
Kairouan medina at night |
Fancy door in the Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina at night |
Kairouan medina at night |
Palatial door, Kairouan Medina |
Great Mosque of Kairouan at night |
Great Mosque of Kairouan at night |
Great Mosque of Kairouan at night |
Back on the Rue Okba ibn Nafaa the next morning |
Morning visit to the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Arcade around the coutryard of the Great Mosque |
Courtyard of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Courtyard of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
The Great Mosque of Kairouan, oldest in North Africa and 4th Holiest in Islam |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Sundial, Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Basin in the courtyard of the Great Mosque |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Prayer hall of the Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan prayer hall |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Great Mosque of Kairouan |
Medina of Kairouan |
Tapis Okba, a carpet shop near the Great Mosque |
Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Small mosque in the Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Weaver working his loom, Kairouan |
Mosque of the Three Doors, Kairouan |
Kairouan medina |
Place Zarrouk, Kairouan medina |
Place Zarrouk, Kairouan medina |
Bir Barouta, Kairouan medina |
Bir Barouta, Kairouan medina |
Bir Barouta, Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Minaret, Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Ville Nouvelle, Place des Martyrs |
TunisiaMay06 479.jpg |
TunisiaMay06 480.jpg |
Looking through the Bab El-Chouhada |
Looking through the Bab El-Chouhada |
Medina at the Bab el-Chouhada |
Kairouan medina |
Mosque minaret with Arabic script in brickwork |
Mohammed is the Messenger of God |
Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Clothing on sale at Kairouan's souq |
Souq in the Kairouan medina |
Old man in traditional clothes, Kairouan |
Kairouan medina |
Tunisian ceramics on sale in Kairouan |
White dome, Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Kairouan medina |
Ave 7 Novembre leading to the Bab Tunis |
Bab Tunis, Kairouan |
Bab Tunis |
Place de Tunis, Kairouan |
Tunisian men in Kairouan |
Place de Tunis, Kairouan |
Kairouan |
Mosaic on the building housing Becha rent-a-car, next to the Hotel la Kasah |
Tile signs on the walls of the Kasbah, Kairouan |
Donkey parked next to the Kasbah |
Libyan, Phoenician, Latin and Arabic alphabets used over time in Tunisia |
A kitted out Land Rover Defender with German plates (LB EM 3108) |
Friends of the Sahara |
Tank up before heading out of town |