Kairouan is a city in Tunisia is a Muslim holy city which ranks fourth after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem as a place of pilgrimage. It is reputed that seven visits here are the equivilent of one to Mecca.It's large mosques and cultural history have seen it added to the UNESCO World Heritage List
Kairouan was founded in about the year 670 when the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi selected a site in the middle of a dense forest, then infested with wild beasts and reptiles, as the location of a military post for the conquest of the West. It was located far from the sea where it was safe from continued attacks of the Berbers who have fiercely resisted the Arab invasion. Berber resistance continued, led first by Kusaila whose troops killed Uqba at Biskra about fifteen years after the military post was established, and then by a Berber woman called Al-Kahina who was killed and her army defeated in 702. Subsequently, there was a mass conversion of the Berbers to Islam, but they were for all that treated as second-class citizens in their native land. This consequent dissatisfaction led to their secession as Kharijites or Islamic ‘outsiders’ which formed an egalitarian and puritanical sect still present on the island of Jerba. In 745 Kharijite Berbers captured Kairouan, which was already at that time a developed city with luxuriant gardens and olive groves.
Power struggles remained until Kairouan was recaptured by Ibrahim ibn al-Aghlab at the end of the 8th century. In 800 Ibrahim was confirmed Emir and hereditary ruler of Ifriqiya by Caliph Harun ar-Rashid in Baghdad. Ibrahim ibn al-Aghlab founded the Aghlabite dynasty that ruled Ifriqiya between 800 and 909. The new Emirs embellished Kairouan and made it their capital which soon became famous for its wealth and prosperity reaching the levels of Basra and Kufa and giving Tunisia one of its golden ages long sought after the glorious days of Carthage.
PLACE TO VISIT
The Great Mosque is one of the finest Islamic buildings in North Africa and rewards closer inspection. Non Muslims are not permitted into the prayer hall, but the doors are open to allow you to view inside. Access to the main courtyard is available to all. The columns throughout the complex were taken from Carthage.
The Mosque of the Three Doors, has a one of the finest facades in Tunisia, though the interior is not open.
Medressas There are several of these Islamic Schools in the center of town that open up to visitors.
Bi'r Barouta, this Well is the place where the city was founded, it is reputedly linked to the ZamZam well in Mecca, it is one of the holiest sites in the city for Muslims.
Medina in general is a nice place to just wander around aimlessly, if it looks familiar it may well be as it was used in Raiders of the Lost Ark to double as Cairo.
HOW TO REACH
Busses run to Kairouan from the major cities, Tunis, Sousse, Sfax
NB: Touts from the carpets shops have been known to board the bus a few km outside the city and befriend tourist to lure them into their shops, it is good to be aware of this fact
Louages run from many destinations into Kairouan, these are probably the best and most frequent way to get into the city.
Kairouan is not located on a train line.
The stations for both busses and Louagges are to the North West of the Medina. Though they may well drop you off at a Medina Gate if requested.
