Bordj el Kebir, Medieval fort in Mahdia, Tunisia
Bordj el Kebir is a rectangular fortress on Tunisia's Mediterranean coast with round and square towers linked by thick stone walls. The structure integrates different defensive elements that work together to create a fortification visible from the sea.
Construction of the fortress started in 1392 using materials from Roman ruins available on the coast. Over the centuries it served as a military stronghold during several conflicts and was expanded and adapted over time.
The fort holds two religious shrines dedicated to Sidi Saad and Ghazi Mustapha, showing how military and spiritual spaces merged in Tunisian architecture. Visitors can see these sacred areas today and experience how faith and defense shared the same walls.
The fort can be explored on foot, with paths leading across the walls and up to the towers that are accessible for most visitors. Wear suitable footwear as surfaces are uneven and some stairs are steep.
Inside the fortress, passages run through the walls connecting different chambers from various periods of use. Visitors can walk through these hidden routes and discover former administrative and storage quarters that show how the fort was inhabited across the decades.
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