For anyone like me who is interested in history, Tunis has an amazing wealth of sites to visit. The rich history of this city stretches all the way back to the 2nd Millennium BC.
Not only this, but it is also the modern cultural and entertainment hub of the country, which means that Tunis draws guests from all over the world who flock to experience its unique mix of old and new.
The location of the country of Tunisia in itself is exotic and alluring. It’s nestled right in between the expansive Sahara Desert and sparkling Mediterranean. Tunis is located right along the azure waters of the Mediterranean Gulf.
I have carefully packed my most comfortable walking shoes and digital camera in preparation for my trip to Tunis, the capital city of the Tunisian Republic.
I have always enjoyed frequenting museums and am therefore looking forward to visiting the Bardo National Museum, which is located in a suburb of Tunis called Le Bardo. This museum contains the world’s largest collection of Roman mosaics, and ranks with the Egyptian Museum in Cairo as one of the two great museums in North Africa.
The building itself is a work of architectural art and contains several floors and rooms to peruse. The museum also contains an exhibit dealing exclusively with Jewish ritual objects that I am greatly interested in seeing. As a bonus, along with many other historic sites, the museum is easily accessible by public transportation.
Many other tourist sites in Tunis are Islamic sites, mosques, mausoleums, and madrasas. This is due to the fact that currently about 99% of the country consists of practicing Muslims, as Islam is the state religion.
One Islamic site that draws many visitors is the medina, or old quarter. A visit here is said to be “like stepping back in time.”
The medina was built in the seventh century AD, and now provides the opportunity to barter for souvenirs with the locals, including colorful handmade carpets, jewelry, spices, and pottery. The medina houses an amazing total of 700 monuments, including mosques and madrasas.
While the country is 99% Muslim, it does behold an interesting Jewish history as well. The Jewish population of Tunisia was over 100,000 in 1945, and now is little over 1,000. This is due to the fact that Tunisia was the only Arab country to come under direct German occupation during WWII.
Tunisian Jews have many unique and colorful rituals and celebrations, including the annual pilgrimage to Djerba that takes place during Lag BaOmer. The government also insures freedom of worship for the Jewish community. Tunis contains four Jewish schools, and the majority of the Jewish community within Tunisia observes the laws of kashrut.
