After an excellent breakfast at our hotel ‘La Kasbah’, we drove about a kilometre to the Aghlabid Basins. These reservoirs, or more correctly cisterns were built in 860 AD under the supervision of a freed slave named Chalaf and their purpose was to ensure a reliable water supply for the town of Kairouan all year round.
The three cisterns we could see (there is actually a total of 15) formed part of a hydro-technical system, considered at the time to be one of the masterpieces of hydraulic engineering in the Arab world.
Cistern in the Aghlabid Basins Kairouan
The largest cistern in the Aghlabid Basins is circular with a diameter of 128 m, a depth of 4.5 m, with a holding capacity of 57 mega litres of water.
Largest cistern in the Aghlabid Basins Kairouan
The water was collected partly during the winter rains but was also fed along a 35 km aqueduct from Jebel Cherichera.
While we were observing this remarkable engineering feat, by sheer luck we crossed paths with Geoff Batten and his tour group who were also at the Aghlabid Basins. Much merriment and chatting ensued.
Geoff Batten, Jak, Janice Johnston, Corinne and Mick Hawkins, Kairouan
We then visited the Madrassa of Husayn which has now been transformed into a mosque. For the male students of the Koran there were eleven study rooms around the now covered courtyard.
Mosque of Husayn (formerly a madrassa), Kairouan
Our next Islamic treat was to visit the Mausoleum of Sidi Sahab who was a companion and barber of the Prophet Mohammed. The mausoleum resulted from the restoration and extensions of the original 15th century mosque, built honouring Abou Zommaa el-Balaoui.
According to legend, Sidi Sahab always carried with him three hairs from Mohamed’s beard and these are now supposedly within Sidi Sahab’s tomb.
Tomb of Sidi Sahab, Kairouan
The mausoleum has a vast courtyard dominated by a minaret which dates from 1690. Although we were not permitted to enter the mausoleum, we could see the tomb of Sidi Sahab through the open doorway.
We then moved on to Kairouan’s Great Mosque (also known as the Mosque of Sidi Oqba) which is right in the centre of the Medina.
Great Mosque, Kairoua
Inside Great Mosque, Kairouan
The original mosque was built in 670 AD and then completely destroyed. What we visited today dates largely from the 9th century AD. It is not only one of the oldest and largest mosques in the Islamic world, it is also the fourth most important pilgrimage destination after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. The minaret is regarded as the oldest known structure of its kind being built between 724 and 728 AD.
The Mosque decorations are mostly ancient Hellenistic floral motifs and the geometric patterns come from Christian and Berber designs. The Mihrab Dome overlooking the far end of the Prayer Hall is richly decorated and marks the position of the mihrab which points to Mecca. The courtyard is surrounded by a colonnade with the galleries supported by numerous marble columns, some of which have capitals taken from other buildings. Surprisingly for a mosque, one of the capitals clearly shows a carved Christian cross. In the middle of the courtyard is a sundial which doesn’t tell the time so much but indicates the times from prayer.
Christian cross on column, Great Mosque
Sundial, Great Mosque
We were then invited to enter a carpet shop. There was great pressure on us to consider purchasing one of the many different styles on display, most of which looked very attractive. The carpets are mostly made from wool and many had interesting themes involving geometric pattens with strong Turkish and Andalusian influences with reds and blues the dominant colours. No carpets were purchased by our group but the visual experience and information given made the visit well worthwhile.
Carpet shop, Kairouan
After wandering for quite a distance within the medina’s alleyways we came to a most intriguing location called the Bir Barouta water well.
Alleyway, Kairouan
Door, Kairouan
The well was thought to be dug in the 8th century and is now surrounded by a 17th century building. The water is drawn from the 12 m deep well by a camel that circulates the well about every twenty seconds and thus turns the mechanism that brings the water up in stone jugs attached to an endless loop of rope. Some Kairouan locals believe that the water drawn from this well comes from an artesian basin so vast that it connects to Mecca’s underground water and that the water has mysterious and very special properties.
Camel working water wheel, Kairouan
After a rehydration and crepe stop at the Oasis Park Café we drove onto the township of Sbeïtla which is a modern town 30 km east of Kasserine, fringed by olive groves and arable fields.
Close by is the 1st century Roman town of Sufetula which was an independent city and later became a Roman colony. It was settled in the 3rd century by Christians and there are the remains of numerous churches within the site we visited.
Our first encounter with the Roman architecture was the impressive Arch of Diocletian near the south entry to Sufetula.
Arch of Diocletian at Sufetula, Sbeïtla
The ruins are particularly well preserved with remnants of temples, a stunning forum, baths, cisterns, houses, baptisteries, vendors’ stalls and large areas of beautiful mosaic tiles.
The large olive presses and the stone work associated with their functioning certainly captured our imagination. The engineering of the olive press levers, the ingenuity of the oil extraction and storage methods were so interesting.
Olive press Sufetula
Olive press Sufetula
Amongst the most impressive structures we encountered was the Capitol at the northwest corner of the forum. The capitol consists of three temples, side by side, dedicated to Juno, Jupiter and Minerva. The visual grandeur of this trio defies adequate description and we spent a good deal of time just trying to take it all in.
Capitol viewed through Arch of Antoninus Pius, Sufetula
Capitol, Sufetula
Rear of Capitol, Sufetula
Across the magnificently preserved forum is the beautiful arched entrance of Antoninus Pius (AD 139) and beyond this arch is the Church of St. Servus. The remains of this church are four surviving pillars and it was erected on the site of a pagan temple.
Church of St. Servus, Sufetula
Although the Theatre has been largely rebuilt in recent times, there are still some features that convey the former structure.
Theatre, Sufetula
One unexpected feature of the original theatre and bathing areas was that they had provisions for being heated to overcome the cold wintery weather. Fires were used to heat air and water which circulated through the pool water and under the seats of the theatre; an amazing proposition considering it was 2000 years ago!
Mosaic floor in baths area, Sufetula
Baths with area for heating water, Sufetula
Channel for directing hot water to heat seats in the Theatre, Sufetula
Overawed by our time at this stunning site, we departed Sufetula and then drove for nearly three hours, via Gafsa to Tozeur. On the way southwest we could see the Kasserine Mountains where my father led a US squadron through to bomb the railhead that was supporting Rommel’s Panzer divisions.
Kasserine Mountains
Eventually, after a ten hour day on the go, we arrived at the Ras Ain Hotel in Tozeur ready for a cold beer and an evening meal.
Tomorrow, we explore the Sahara region around Tozeur.