By Okorie Uguru
Kairouan, one of the ancient cities in Tunisia, served as the political capital and centre of Islam in the Maghreb region, which is Northwest Africa for more than 500 years. At the peak of its influence between 7th century AD until 12th century AD, it used to also have a centre of learning in arts, science and Islamic studies founded in 670 AD.
However, over the years, the city has evolved from being a religious and ancient educational town to a mix where modernity and the ancient blend into one. It is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its importance in history of Islam in North Africa, and also because of the historical monuments located in the city.
Kairouan is one of the holy cities and spiritual capitals of Islam. It is the first place of worship founded in the Maghreb (North-West Africa) 38 years after the death of the Prophet Muhammed, and also the burial place of the remains of Abu Djama, one of Prophet Muhammed’s companions.
The city does not exude the opulence, glitz and the gaiety of the Mediterranean coastal cities of Sousse and Hammamet or Tunis. There are beautiful hotels no doubt, but not like the sprawling coastline edifices in Sousse. The tourist traffic is steady but not in deluge. Here the sun seems fiercer than Sousse. Nevertheless, Kairouan is exotic, and like El Jem, another ancient Tunisian city just about 71 kilometres away, it is a city full of ancient relics and monuments that invite visitors to explore. Indeed, Tunisia is a country where the ancient and modern dwell side by side. Kairouan is a city that is rooted in the ancient craft and artistry of hand-designed ceramic tiles carpets.
However, the fame of Kairouan is not totally built on that, it is largely to the presence of the The Great Mosque, also known as the Mosque of Uqba Ibn Nafi, the first mosque built in the Maghreb. The architectural features used was to have a great influence in the construction of other mosques built centuries later.
The mosque was built by ‘Uqba ibn Nafi in 50 (670). However, it has passed through series of renovations by Hasan ibn Nu’man in 84 (703), an enlargement by the governor Bichr ibn Safwan (103–9 / 722–8). It was renovated by Yazid ibn Hatim in 155 (772), and totally rebuilt by the Aghlabid prince Ziyadat Allah I in 221 (836.).
Some of the unique characteristics of the mosque are the number of columns and capitals in the galleries around the mosque’s courtyard. They constitute the largest collection of Roman and Byzantine capitals and columns in any Muslim monument or museum.
Another unique feature of the great mosque is the use of tiles. The tiles were made by hand and were often painted with intricate designs and patterns. This art form of hand-painted tiles is very much alive in Kairouan.
The use of tiles in the construction industry was said to have originated from ancient Egypt and spread to other parts of the world, including ancient Greece and Rome. The Romans used tiles to decorate their buildings and public spaces. They used different materials like marble, terracotta, and ceramic to create beautiful mosaics and intricate patterns.
In the Middle Ages, the use of tiles declined in Europe and it shifted towards wood and stone for construction. However, the tile industry came back during the Renaissance when artists and architects began to experiment with new techniques and designs. In The Great Kairouan Mosque, the designs are abstract and intricate. It is a common pattern of design in many Muslim countries in the Middle East and North Africa.
The Great Kairouan Mosque is located in the area of the city called Houmat Al-Jami (area of great mosque). It has an expansive compound shaped in form of a rectangle. The inner area of the mosque is an open space courtyard with an imposing square minaret paved with marble. There are about 414 columns of marble and granite said to have been taken from ancient sites in the country such as Sbeïtla, Carthage, Hadrumetum and Chemtou, and other places.
There is also a well at the centre of the courtyard for ablution before the Muslim prayers. Although built in the 7th century AD. The mosque exudes history; however the compound and the other parts of the mosques are well maintained.
It is not only inside the mosque that history is captured. Around the mosque are old cannon guns painted in black used to decorate public areas. The importance of this mosques still standing close to 1,400 years since it was first built makes the place special, and it has become a huge source of tourism revenue for the city.
In Kairouan, there is also the possibility of having a taste of Northern African cuisines, a kind of admixture of Arab and Berber’s cuisines.
One place that offers such is the Al Kasbah Hotel in the centre of the city, a five-star hotel in the real sense of the word. It has a traditional architecture that makes one feel the essence of a Berber’s setting. The ambience is stylish and yet subtle but also with the modern facilities that make tourists comfortable.
The lunch was heavy on both local Tunisian and continental dishes. It was during the mid-day after an extensive tour that the tour group arrived at the hotel, giving one the opportunity for a well-deserved rest.
Even though modernity has taken root in Kairoun, the essence and identity of the people is still very present. Being at the periphery of the Sahara desert, it was not surprising seeing camels all over the place. This ancient means of transportation is still part of the transportation system of the town. There were also horse-driven carts carrying people going about their normal duties.