Photos

In gate of old town

The spiritual home of all Tunisians, the city itself rises like a dream of ocher and tawny beige, serene in its 13 centuries of Islamic culture, authentic and proud of the wondrous beauty of its mosques, the symphony of its columns and arches, the exquisite delicacy of the stone work.

Kairouan Medina

This is one of the best preserved medinas in Tunisia. The old town is surrounded by 10 metre high which are watched over by numerous defensive towers that were put up at the beginning of the 18th Century. Within the walls most of the streets are residential – but there’s a big carpet market which is pretty well known by visitors looking to find their perfect magic carpet. While the streets themselves are very old and look it, the current inhabitants show their wealth in ornate and colourful doors, windows and arches which look more like they belong in the Caribbean than Africa.

Kairouan

Kairouan, it was founded by the Arabs in around 670 in the period of Amir Muavia and the original name was derived from Arabic kairuwân, meaning "military/civilian camp" (from Kâr, "war/military," and van/wan, "outpost"), "caravan", or "resting place.
After its establishment in the 7th century, it became an important center for Islamic and Quranic learning, and thus attracted a large number of Muslims from various parts of the world, next only to Mecca and Medina. The holy Mosque of Uqba is situated in the city. In 2003 the city had about 150,000 inhabitants. In 2009 Kairouan was the Islamic Cultural Capital.
The most important mosque in the city is the Great Mosque of Sidi-Uqba. Seven pilgrimages to this mosque is considered the equivalent of one pilgrimage to Mecca. After its establishment, Kairouan became an Islamic and Qur'anic learning center in North Africa. An article by Professor Kwesi Prah describes how during the medieval period, Kairouan was considered the third holiest city in Islam after Mecca and Medina.
The souk (market place) of Kairouan is in the Medina quarter, which is surrounded by walls, from which the entrance gates can be seen in the distance. Products that are sold in the souk include carpets, vases and goods made of leather. As with merchants in most major Tunisian cities, Kairouan merchants rely on tourism for much of their income.
During World War II a major military airfield was located near Kairouan, used first by the German Luftwaffe. It was attacked on numerous occasions and later used by the United States Army Air Force Twelfth Air Force as a transport field. (Source:Wikipedia& tourismtunisia & virtualtourist)