Skifa El Kahla, 10th century fortified gate in Mahdia, Tunisia.
Skifa El Kahla is a fortified gateway from the 10th century in Mahdia with a stone archway and multiple defensive layers protecting the passage. The structure features a vaulted corridor divided by gate-loops and projecting defensive towers that controlled movement into the medieval city center.
The gate was built in 916 under Fatimid rule as a key defensive element for the new city. In the 11th century, the structure was substantially modified to accommodate artillery and serve as storage facilities as military technology advanced.
The gate's name means Dark Vestibule, referring to the shadowed passage that formed the original entrance to the medieval city. This name choice reflects how people experienced moving through the dim interior during daily entry and exit.
The gate sits at the entrance to the medina and is easily reached on foot from the main streets of old Mahdia. Visit early in the day to avoid crowds and get better views of the stonework without obstruction from other visitors.
The gate underwent major restoration in 2015 that coincided with commemorating 1200 years since Mahdia's founding as an early Fatimid city. This preservation effort saved one of the few remaining original fortifications from the city's earliest period.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
