Dictionary of islamic architecture

See also:
Aghlabids, Tunisia
Tunis

---

288
Further reading:
J.Revault, 
Palais et demeurres de Tunis (XVIe et XVIIe
siècles)
, Paris 1967.
—— 
Palais et demeurres de Tunis (XVIIIe et XIXe siècles),
Paris 1971.
Tunisia
North African country named after its capital Tunis.
Tunisia is a predominantly coastal country located
between Algeria and Libiya. Northwards, a short
distance across the sea, is the island of Sicily.
Physically the country can be divided into three
regions, a forested mountainous area to the north, a
central plain watered by the Wadi Mejerda and a
drier mountainous region to the south.
Tunisia has a long history of settlement starting
with the Phoenician ports of the ninth century
BCE. The greatest of these ports developed into
the city of Carthage which dominated the trade of
the Mediterranean until it was destroyed by the
Romans in 146 CE. For a short period after the
collapse of Roman rule the country was taken over
by the Vandals until they were expelled by the
Byzantines who ruled the country up to the time
of the Arab conquest in 640. During the early
Islamic period the country was known as Ifriqiyya
with its capital at Qairawan. In the ninth century
the country was ruled by the semi-autonomous
Aghlabid dynasty who undertook the conquest of
Sicily. During the tenth century the country
became a base for the Fatimids before they moved
to Egypt in 969. Tunisia’s prominent position in
Islamic history was brought to an end in the mid-
eleventh century by the invasions of the Banu Hilal
from northern Egypt. In a reversal of history the
Normans of Sicily occupied the country for a short
period in the mid-twelfth century until they were
expelled by the Almohads. Following the Almohad
victory Tunisia was ruled by a local dynasty
known as the Hafisids who remained in power
until the sixteenth century. In 1574, after a struggle
between the Turks and the Spanish, the Turks
gained the upper hand and Tunisia was
incorporated into the Ottoman Empire. During the
eighteenth century the country was ruled by a local
dynasty known as the Husseinis, who, with
increasing French help, ruled the country up to
1945 when Tunisia became an independent
republic. The main building material in Tunisia is
stone
which may either be finely dressed ashlar or
smaller squared blocks. Baked brick was used,