TUNISIA: Tunis

From the 12th to the 16th century, Tunis was considered one of the greatest and wealthiest cities in the Islamic world. 

Today, Tunis is the capital of the country and is home to about 2 million people, which is about one-sixth of the country’s population, 

Situated in the Gulf of Tunis on the Mediterranean Sea, the modern city extends along the coastal plains and to the surrounding hills. 

It is a city with many contrasts, with modern office buildings, shopping malls, European cafes, the colonial French style of the Ville Nouvelle, and Arab souks in the old Medina.

Thinking back to modern history, in 2011, Tunisia was the start for the Arab Spring, a series of anti-government protests, uprisings and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world. 

Two highlights of Tunis for me:

THE MEDINA   

Medina means a walled city. The medina in Tunis is the historic centre of the city that has its origins in the Middle Ages. At the time, Tunis was the main city of the North African coastal region that traded with the Orient and southern Europe.  It grew to prominence between the 12th and 16th centuries, when it was one of the wealthiest cities in the Islamic world. 

The old medina of Tunis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

The original street plan of the medina, dates back to the 8th century.

It is a labyrinth of mazes. 

There are short narrow streets. It is pretty easy to get lost. But that is ok and half the charm. And that is also where, when all else fails, Google Maps is a lifesaver. 

I was trying to figure out how many mosques are in the medina. I gave up. Let's just say, there are a lot. 

More than any other Medina in North Africa, Tunis features an incredible variety of elaborately decorated doors, each colour heavy with symbolism and significance.  

Some areas had specific themes of items sold. This area was the “Chechia” hat making area. They are the national hat of Tunisia and have been worn for hundreds of years.

The medina is how Tunis looked until the arrival of the French in the late 19th century. 

When the French arrived, they built their quarters outside of the "Sea Gate" -- now the Ville Nouvelle. The French influence is still present and in our experience most, if not all, of the locals spoke French in addition to Arabic. 

Because of the French influence there is a large Catholic Church called St Vincent de Paul in the French area.

On the other side of the  medina is the Place du Gouvernement.

This fountain is the monument for the Arab Spring uprising.

BARDO MUSEUM

My second big highlight in Tunis was the Bardo Museum.

For a bit of background, under Roman rule, trade flourished and Tunisia prospered with exports of grain and olive oil to other parts of the Roman empire. 

The Bardo Museum contains "the best of the best" examples from Roman life throughout Tunisia. It is the largest and finest collection of ancient mosaics in the world.  The quality of the mosaics is astounding after 2,000 years. The mosaics in the museum had been found under sand and had been built over with new housing over the centuries. The huge mosaics were discovered in the wealthiest of Roman villas in the many ancient cities found throughout Tunisia and they show the size of the huge homes owned by the wealthiest Roman citizens. 

Rich patrons commissioned a vast array of subjects and themes, ranging from scenes of gods and goddesses, daily life (hunting, fishing, harvesting), the zodiac, seasons, amphitheatre games. They show what towns, homes, activities, and what living at the time was like. 

Some scenes from daily Roman life. 

They also show scenes from Greek/Roman mythology. 

Details and colours are astounding. They used glass for highlights and adding depth in the pictures.

Life was good in Tunisia, if you were a wealthy Roman.

For the others.... maybe not so much.