Medina of Tunis, Historic Islamic district in Tunis, Tunisia
The Medina of Tunis is a historic old city spanning 270 hectares with narrow winding streets connecting mosques, markets, palaces, and homes through a dense network of passages. The layout reveals hidden courtyards, small fountains, and unexpected corners as you walk through the interconnected alleyways.
It was founded around 698 as a settlement built around the al-Zitouna Mosque and grew into North Africa's leading religious and trading hub during the Hafsid dynasty. Over centuries, the city experienced different phases under Arab and later Ottoman rule.
The quarter remains a functioning neighborhood where people shop, pray, and gather daily, shaped by layers of Arab, Ottoman, and local building traditions visible in doorways, courtyards, and decorative details.
Multiple entrances provide access throughout the quarter, with Bab el Bahr gate offering direct routes to main sites and traditional markets. The area is best explored on foot, though streets are narrow and can feel confusing, so a map helps with finding your way.
Streets follow a social pattern where residential buildings sit farther from the market hustle, giving residents quiet and privacy away from commercial activity. This design shows how the city deliberately separated daily living from trading.
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