The Medina of Sousse

When I visited Tunisia last year, I was very happy that I managed to visit a few World Heritage sites from my hotel based in Sousse. The impression I got from the majority of fellow travellers at my hotel was that they were entirely happy to restrict their movements between the dining hall, the pool and the beach and to be fair, I actually spent quite some time at the beach myself. It was lovely. Tunisia offers so much more than beach holidays, though. No matter how much relaxation you may be craving, it would be a shame to ignore the rich cultural heritage.

Starting with my report on the Medina of Sousse, I will portray four Tunisian World Heritage sites and hopefully theyʼll inspire you to leave the beach for a while. Needless to say, I intend to visit the other five sites at some point in the future, as well.

Sousse is located in Central Eastern Tunisia, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, and there was a settlement and trading post in the spot of modern Sousse from Phoenician times onwards, even pre-dating the famous Carthage. This settlement was called Hadrumetum and it switched allegiance to Rome during the Third Punic War; later, the area belonged to the Byzantine empire. There is a lot to discover for history and art nerds in this region, as indeed in the whole of Tunisia. It is the cultural heritage of the Islamic Medina of Sousse that was awarded World Heritage status here, though of course the other ruins and artefacts are also worth explorig.

View of Ribat Entrance and Tower

The World Heritage site lies within the old town walls, and the Ribat, the Great Mosque, the Bou Ftata Mosque, the Kasbah and the ramparts are impressive monuments to the townʼs heritage. The well-maintained ramparts measure nearly two and a half kilometres and enclose the historical centre. Parts of the kasbah (citadel) nowadays house the archaeological museum (more on that below).

The term “Medina” generally translates as city; with reference to cities in Northern Africa, especially, it has the meaning of a historical, walled town centre. The Medina of Sousse was part of a defence system along the coast and dates back to the early days of Islamic conquest in the Maghreb, specifically the Aghlabid period between 800–909 AD.
Alongside the nearby Medina of Monastir, the Medina of Sousse represents a prototype of Islamic coastal architecture with a focus on military requirements – defence against attacks from pirates, for instance – but also incorporating religious aspects.

The Ribat, for example, is especially interesting in that it is a building that had combined military and religious usage: it was a fortified enclosure and barracks but the watchtower also served as minaret and the soldiers followed religious purpose as well as military. From a linguistic point of view, it is notable that the term “ribat” signifies a monastic fortress with regards to such buildings from the time of the conquest in North Africa, whereas the same term refered to a hospice for pilgrims or a caravanserai in the Levant region.

Within the town walls, you find a veritable maze of preserved historical buildings and narrow alleyways. I was glad that I participated in a guided tour, because Iʼm quite certain I would have lost my way in less time than it takes to blink. I was delighted by the intricate woodwork to be found on many portals and window shutters and the joyful colours, as well as the excellent masonry and honey-coloured stone.

Naturally, the tour also visited the bazaar. Silly me expected this to be a pedestrian only area – you better watch out, though, as mopeds and small delivery vans will appear seemingly out of nowhere at speed. At one point, I was nearly squashed like a bug by one such vehicle that was clipping a corner rather closely. Too terrified to move forwards or backwards, and not able to manoeuvre myself out of harmʼs way fast enough, a kind stranger took pity on me and held the car up long enough to pull me out of the danger zone. Phew!

In case you have never seen a dome with zigzag pattern before (like myself), you should visit or at least walk by the Museum of Kalaout el-Koubba.

Naturally, many of the shops both in the bazaar and elsewhere in the historical town centre nowadays cater to tourists. Still, since so many historical buildings have been preserved, I found that it was possible to feel transported back in time somehow, despite the decidedly modern hustle and bustle. This is, after all, a busy modern city and industrial hub. Maybe it is even more impressive, therefore, that the historical centre remains. It is another question, I suppose, how the local inhabitants feel about their town centre frequently being overrun by tourists.

The juxtaposition between old and new is also mentioned in the official UNESCO description of this site:

“The Medina also comprises juxtaposed dwellings divided into quarters that separate the winding alleys and narrow paths, a fast disappearing type of layout threatened by modern life and the evolution of architectural techniques. It also contains an ensemble of unique monuments dating from Aghlabid and Fatimid times, enabling study of the evolution of Islamic art in its first period.”
From: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/498/

The Medina of Sousse was previously at risk of being de-listed and it is good to know that measures were taken to protect the preserved area of town.

Even if you are not a history buff, you can always take in this heritage site by means of a leisurely stroll, stopping here or there to have coffee, ice-cream or a meal, or to do some shopping. Iʼd recommend some exploring and a guided tour, though.

Blue Windows

Something else you should not miss is the Musée archéologique de Sousse, the archaeological museum, where you will have your mind blown by the beauty and craftsmanship of the ancient Roman mosaics and other artefacts on display. The museum is divided into Punic (Phoenician), Roman and Byzantine sections, and all of them are worth spending a lot of time in.

Roman Mosaics

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