Kairouan is the only great Tunisian city whose history is more recent than antiquity. In 671 A.D. a camp known as a ‘Kairouan’ settled on what is the city’s urban area of today and despite the heat and scarcity of water this location had great strategic value.

The massive minaret of the Great Mosque is 35 metres high and is the most important Islamic building in Tunis. For many years it has been the structural model for subsequent generations of Maurice architects. The ancient columns and elegant decoration of the mosque’s interior highlight its importance in the Islamic world.

Two further buildings that are important to Islam are situated on the North Western outskirts of Kairouan: the Barbier Mosque and the Sidi Sahab Mausoleum which date back to the 17th century. They are located above the grave of a companion of the Prophet Mohammed.

In addition to Mecca, Medina And Jerusalem, Kairouan is one of the four most important cities in Islam and since it was first established during the 7th century, the city’s life has been continuously determined by religious faith.