Kairouan Travel Guide

 alyf1961 Says:  The arcades surround the courtyard, they form long aisles to protect people from the sun. If the Mosque is full people will pray in the courtyard and the aisles.The pillars of the arcades were taken from carthage where the Roman baths stood. 

 alyf1961 Says:  The Cistern is in the centre of the courtyard which slopes slightly to allow water to filter into it. Water is important before prayers to cleanse the prayer. There are also cleansing facilities outside the courtyard. 

 alyf1961 Says:  The base of the minaret was built between 724 and 728. It is one of the oldest Minarets and it set a pattern for all Minarets in this part of the muslim world. It is 115 foot high and has 129 steps leading to the top. 

 alyf1961 Says:  The Great Mosque is in the centre of the Medina. It is the fourth most important pilgrimage destination iun the Islamic world and one of the oldest and largest places of prayer. According to muslims seven visits here are equvilent to one visit to Mecca. 

 leics Says:  I had little enough time to do this, but what I saw in twenty minutes or so made it very clear that a longer exploration would hold a great deal of interest.The doors, the narrow winding alleyways and streets, the shops, the souk.......all are worth exploring.The medina... 

 leics Says:  This is a mausoleum as well as a mosque. Abou Zamma el Belaoui was a companion of Prophet Mohammad and always kept 3 of the latter's beard hairs on his person.It's still an important pilgrimage site, although the buildings you see now are not ancient. They date from the... 

 leics Says:  The story goes that a 13th-century holy man needed water; his dog scratched the gournd here and water appeared.Or, if you prefer, this is the spring found by Oqba Ibn Nafi in 660AD, the spring which connects directly with a holy well in Mecca.Whatever, climb the narrow stone... 

 leics Says:  With massive walls surrounding it, the oldest mosque in Africa is unmissable.The present building (although much restored and somewhat changed over the centuries) was started in 836AD, but its minaret has lower layers dating from 730AD. the prayer hall and arches are stuffed... 

 Elisabcn Says:  The cemetery of Ouled Farhane (the children of Farhane?) situated just outside the walls and near the Grande Mosquée, is a real city of deads as most of the tombs have the shape of little houses (picture 2). A little untidy, not very well kept, it is a good place to take... 

 Willettsworld Says:  This patisserie is located on the main Ave 7 Novembre streets within the Medina and specialises in selling sweets, biscuits and cakes including makhroud, a date-filled semolina cake soaked in honey. Pop in and sample some of the delights on offer. 

 euzkadi Says:  We saw this ritual when we visited the Mausoleum of Sidi Abid El Ghariani. Is a ritual practiced in all arab countries and was closely related to the ritual dedicated to God and Godesses of fertility. It marked the passage from childhood into adulthood. It´s not mentioned in... 

 Elisabcn Says:  I found these palaces by chance, wandering around the narrow streets of the medina. These are some examples of some good standing families’ houses. Nowadays they are used as cultural centers or carpet shops. You still can find the original furniture so it is easy to imagine...