Mahdia Things to Do

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Dotted on the southern side of the peninsula are the remains of the original Fatimid walls that were built during the 10th century. To get some idea of how they and the rest of Mahdia would have looked, head to the museum beside the Skifa el-Khala and walk up to the first floor where there's a reconstruction plan.

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Just to the west (medina side) of the Borj el-Kebir lie these ruins, of what I don't know. You can walk around then but watch where you're walking as there are some large holes which could've been wells as well as steep banks.

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This massive square fortress, built in 1595, is commandingly situated on the highest point on the peninsula. It was built on the site of a palace built by Mahdia's founder, Obaid Allah el Mahdi in the 10th century. In the courtyard of the fortress is a small mosque. In the masonry of the tower at the southwest corner are two reliefs which are believed to have come from an earlier building.

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The Great Mosque was built in 921 AD by the founder of the town, Obaid Allah el Mahdi. It was the first Fatimid mosque modeled on the Sidi Oqba Mosque in Kairouan. It was connected on two sides with the town walls and when these were blown up by the Spaniards the mosque too was destroyed with the exception of the north front. A temporary building was erected to replace it but this was found to be in danger of collapse and was pulled down in the 1960s. The Great Mosque was carefully rebuilt on its old site in accordance with the original plans. The inner courtyard, 42m (138ft) by 50m (164ft) is surrounded on three sides by a colonnade with horseshoe arches. The nine-aisled prayer hall, three bays deep, has the same ground-plan as its prototype in Kairouan. The central aisle leading to the mihrab is wider than the other eight. The bay in front of the mihrab is crowned by a dome.

Mahdia's medina is pretty small and fairly quiet. Most of its shops are located along Rue Ali Bey which is the main street that leads from the Skifa el-Khala. The shops are the usual tourist ones you'll find all over Tunisia. If you continue to walk towards the lighthouse you'll then find yourself in the narrow streets where there are some nice houses with nice doors.

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Next to the Skifa el-Khala is a good museum that exhibits local finds in the area plus 3rd century AD mosaics and marble statues from El-Jem, pottery, oil lamps that once illuminated the corridors of the colossum at El-Jem, costumes, textile looms and French blanket boxes. Ask inside the museum to gain access to the rooftop of the Skifa el-Khala and someone will show you the way and give you a guided tour and history of the town. More photo's can be found in my travelogues.

Admission: TD4 plus TD1 for camera.

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From the roof of the gatehouse there are fine views of the Medina, extending to the tip of the peninsula, the modern harbour and, to the southwest, the new town. Ask inside the museum, which is located next door to the gatehouse, to gain access and someone will take you up there. A guy took me and said that he was an archaeologist and told me the history of the gatehouse and town.

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The entrance to the old town of Mahdia is through the town gate, the Skifa el Kahla (Black Gate) or Bab Zouila. The gatehouse with its 44m (144ft) long entrance passage was formerly incorporated in the 11m (36ft) thick wall, 175m (190yds) long, which crossed the peninsula. The present gate is not the original Fatimid structure but was rebuilt in 1554 after the destruction of Mahdia by the Spaniards, using stone from the Fatimid fortress. It's possible to climb to the roof of the gate if you ask inside the museum which is located next door.