Zitouna, the Heart of the Medina
Built
on an area of about 5,000 m2 and equipped with nine entrances, Zitouna (the
olive tree) is the oldest and largest sanctuary in the capital of Tunis. It has
184 ancient columns mainly from the Carthage site.
Its
foundation dates back to Governor Abdallah Ibn el-Habhab (732 AD), during the
Muslim conquest of the Maghreb, on the ruins of a Christian basilica, which
confirms the legend of the presence of the tomb of Saint Olive (martyred under
Hadrian in 138) at the location of the mosque.
Rebuilt
in the mid-ninth century, it underwent several renovations by successive
rulers, the latest being the 44-meter minaret, in Almohad style, added in 1894
in place of the minaret built under Hammouda Pacha in 1652. This monument
reflects the evolution of the art of building in this country since the early
Middle Ages, with reused ancient materials integrated into the building: carved
marble lintels, columns, and capitals supporting the ceiling of the prayer
hall, the courtyards of external galleries, mostly from Roman and Byzantine
times.
