Tunis is the capital of Tunisia. Located on the Mediterranean coast but lacking much
in the way of beaches, Tunis has been spared the onslaught of package tourism in
the resorts to the north and south. With a population of less than 700,000, the entire
city feels small and compact. There isn't much in the way of must-see attractions, but
Carthage is easily accessed from here and the souq is one of the most authentic
and hassle-free in North Africa.
Situated on a large Mediterranean gulf, (the Gulf of Tunis), behind the Lake of Tunis
and the port of La Goulette (Halq al Wadi), the city extends along the coastal plain
and the hills that surround it. At the centre of more modern development (colonial era
and post) lies the old medina. Beyond this section lie the suburbs of Carthage, La
Marsa, and Sidi Bou Said.
The medina is found at the centre of the city: a dense agglomeration of alleys and
covered passages, full of intense scents and colours, boisterous and active trade, a
surfeit of goods on offer ranging from leather to plastic, tin to the finest filigree, tourist
souvenirs to the works of tiny crafts-shops.
Just through the Sea Gate (also known as the Bab el Bahr and the Porte de France),
begins the modern city, or Ville Nouvelle, transversed by the grand Avenue
Bourguiba (considered by many to be the Tunisian Champs-Élysées), where the
colonial-era buildings provide a clear contrast to smaller older structures. As the
capital city of the country Tunis is the center of Tunisian commercial activity, as well
as focus of political and administrative life in the country. The expansion of the
Tunisian economy in the last decades is reflected in the booming development of
the outer city where one can see clearly the social challenges brought about by rapid
modernization in Tunisia.
In the 2nd millennium BC a town, originally named Tunes, was founded by Berbers
and also over time occupied by Numidians. In the 9th century BC, the city was taken
over by Phoenicians from Carthage. The Berbers took control of Tunis in 395 BC but
it was soon lost when Agathocles invaded Africa and established his headquarters
there. When Agathocles left Africa, the Carthaginians took control of the city once
again.
In 146 BC, the Romans destroyed Tunis (along with Carthage). However, the city
was subsequently rebuilt under the rule of Augustus and became an important town
under Roman control and the center of a booming agricultural industry.
It was not until the 7th century, after the final destruction of Carthage, that the city
achieved its own importance under the control of Arab Muslims. It was at this time
that the medina of Tunis was first built.
From the 12th century to the 16th century, the old city was controlled by the Almohad
and the Hafsid Berber dynasties. During this time, Tunis was one of the richest and
grandest cities in the Islamic world, with a population of about 100,000.
The Ottoman Empire took nominal control of the city in 1534 when Barbarossa
Hayreddin captured it from the Hafsid Sultan, Mulai Hassan. Mulai Hassan fled to the
court of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain. Charles, who suffered
at the hands of the corsairs operating out of Djerba, Tunis and Algiers, agreed to
reinstate Mulai-Hassan in exchange for an acceptance of Spanish suzerainty by
Mulai-Hassan. A naval expedition led by Charles himself was dispatched in 1535
and the city was quickly recaptured. The victory against the corsairs is recorded in a
tapestry at the Royal Palace of Madrid. The resulting protectorate lasted until the
Ottomans retook Tunis in 1574. After 1591, the Ottoman governors (Beys) were
relatively independent and piracy and trade continued to flourish.
In April 1655, English Admiral Robert Blake was sent to the Mediterranean to extract
compensation from states that had been attacking English shipping. Only the Bey of
Tunis refused to comply, with the result that Blake's 15 ships attacked the Bey's
arsenal at Porto Farina (Ghar el Melh), destroying nine Algerian ships and two shore
batteries, the first time in naval warfare that shore batteries had been taken out
without landing men ashore.
The French occupied the city from 1881 to 1956 having established a protectorate
system of administration that recognized the nominal authority of local government.
In those years there were huge european colonies (like the Tunisian Italians) in
Tunis and the city experienced a great expansion with the creation of new boulevards.
PLACE TO VISIT
The medina - The medina of Tunis has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site
since 1979. The medina contains some 700 monuments, including palaces,
mosques, mausoleums, madrasas and fountains dating from the Almohad and the
Hafsid periods.
Bardo Museum - Occupying the palace of the Ottoman-era bey (ruler) and
renowned for its extensive collection of Roman mosaics, although the (huge)
collection covers Tunisia's entire existence from the prehistoric era until the Ottoman
days. Exhibits from Carthage, Mahdia, Sousse, many from the Roman period in
addition to presentations of Arabian culture old and new.
Dar Ben Abdallah - A small but interesting museum within an 18th-century
palace in the medina, covering the everyday life of a rich merchant in the Ottoman era.
Zitouna Mosque - The largest mosque in Tunisia and the closest thing Tunis
has to a landmark, this Aghlabite mosque dates back to the 9th century, although the
distinctive square minaret is a much later 19th century addition. Modest dress
essential, but non-Muslims can only enter the courtyard, not the mosque itself.
Bey's Palace - comprises architecture and decoration from many different
styles and periods and is believed to stand on the remains of a Roman theatre as
well as the tenth century palace of Ziadib-Allah II al Aghlab.
Carthage - The ruins of Carthage are in Tunisia, 15 km north of Tunis.A city of the
Pheonician and Punic periods from the C6th BC it was the base of a powerful
trading empire spanning the entire south Mediterranean and home to a population of
the order of half a million people. Its most famous general was Hannibal who
crossed the Alps to battle with the Romans. Hannibal suffered his first significant
defeat at the Battle of Zama in 202 BC, which ended the 2nd Punic War. After over 50
years of being watched closely by Rome, they were eventually attacked in the 3rd
Punic War. The citizens defended the city against Imperial Rome in 146BC yet lost,
and Punic Carthage was completely destroyed by the order of the Senate. The site
was redeveloped by the Romans a century later and Carthage became the capital of
the Roman province of Africa. A UNESCO World Heritage List site.
WHAT TO DO
The souq in the medina makes for a fascinating stroll. Tiny shops overflowing with
stuff; people selling, buying, milling about; skeletal cats lurking in the shadows; the
smells of essential oils, spices, frying food and rotting garbage; the sounds of the
muezzin, raï, football on the radio, Arabic and French... The Tunis medina's main
routes are labeled "touristique", but even a few steps off the beaten track it's a real,
working market. Behind the often scruffy facades hide old palaces, mosques,
medersas (Islamic schools). Compared to Morocco or even Sousse you will not be
hassled here. Bab El Bahr (The large stone-arch "French Gate" at the head of
Avenue DeFrance) is a good starting point for the Souk. The goldsmiths are close to
Bab Bnet. Haggle if you wish to buy anything.
HOW TO REACH
By plane - Tunis-Carthage Airport (TUN), 8 km away from the center, is small
and in reasonable shape with all standard facilities. You can exchange money here
at decent rates. A taxi into the city center — insist on the meter — shouldn't cost
much more than 5 dinars: you are more likely to get this fare by waiting for a taxi
outside the upper floor, rather than at the taxi stand. Alternatively, buses depart fairly
regularly and charge a fraction of the price.
At night, the buses will have stopped and the taxi ride into town could cost you 10 -
15 TD. What do you do ? Don't get upset about it, pay up and start enjoying your visit.
By train - Tunis Central Station is near Place de Barcelone for easy interchange
onto the light metro.
