Tunis

Tunis (تونس, Tūnis) is the capital of Tunisia, with a population of 699,700 in 2003. Situated at the end of a large gulf (the Gulf of Tunis), linked to it by the Lake of Tunis and a canal to the port of La Goulette (Halq al Wadi), the city extends along the coastal plain and the hills that surround it. From the centre of the city, to the east is the silhouette of the medina and to the north is the suburb of Belvedere.

The medina is the centre of the city: a dense agglomeration of alleys and covered passages, full of intense scents and colours, boisterous and active trade, a surfeit of goods on offer ranging from leather to plastic, tin to the finest filigree, tourist souvenirs to the works of tiny crafts-shops.

Just through the French Gate, formerly the Sea Gate, begins the modern city, Ville Nouvelle, bisected by the grand avenue Bourguiba, where the colonial-era buildings provide a vivid contrast. The city of Tunis is, above all, the capital where a 10th of the population of the country live and work, and where a large part of business activity is focused, in addition to all of the political and administrative functions. The expansion of the Tunisian economy in the last decades is reflected in the unplanned development of the outer city where one can see clearly the social contradictions and the problems of modern Tunisia.

Geography

Tunis is located in north-eastern Tunisia on the Lake of Tunis, and is connected to the Mediterranean sea's Gulf of Tunis by a canal which terminates at the port of La Goulette / Halq al Wadi.

Tunis is located at 36°50′N 10°9′E ( 36.8333° N 10.15° E).

History

Early History

Tunis is a city with a long history. In the 2nd millennium BCE a town, originally named Tunes, was founded by Libyans and also over time occupied by Berbers or Numidians. In the 9th century BCE, the city was taken over by Phoenicians from Carthage. The Berbers took control of Tunis in 395 BCE but it was soon lost when Agathocles invaded Africa and established his headquarters there. When Agathocles left Africa, the Carthaginians took control of the city once again.

In 146 CE, the Romans destroyed Tunis (along with Carthage). However, the city was subsequently rebuilt and became an important town under Roman control.

Arab Control

It wasn't until the 7th century, after the final destruction of Carthage, that the city achieved its own importance under the control of Arab Muslims. It was at this time that the medina of Tunis was first built.

From the 12th century to the 16th century, the old city was controlled by the Almohad and the Hafsids dynasties. During this time, Tunis was one of the richest and grandest cities in the Islamic world, with a population of about 100,000.

Turkish rule and piracy

Tunis became the capital of Tunisia under the Hafsid dynasty, and was a leading center of trade with Europe. The city became known as a centre of piracy and trade; the Hafsid rulers of Tunis, in particular, reached accommodation with Baba Aruj whose ships were anchored for a time in the bay.

The Turks took nominal control of the city in 1534. However, the former Sultan, Mulai-Hassan, fled to the court of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. Charles, who suffered at the hands of the corsairs, agreed to reinstate Mulai-Hassan in exchange for an acceptance of Charles's suzerainty by Mulai-Hassan. A naval expedition led by Charles himself was dispatched in 1535. The city was quickly recaptured; the victory against the pirates is recorded in a tapestry at the Royal Palace of Madrid. The resulting protectorate lasted until the Turks retook Tunis in 1574. After 1591, the Turkish governors ( Beys) were virtually independent and piracy and trade continued to flourish.

In April 1655 English Admiral Robert Blake was sent to the Mediterranean to extract compensation from states that had been attacking English shipping. Only the Bey of Tunis refused to comply, with the result that Blake's 15 ships attacked the Bey's arsenal at Porto Farina (Ghar el Melh), destroying 9 Algerian ships and 2 shore batteries, the first time in naval warfare that shore batteries had been taken out without landing men ashore.

European colonialism

The French occupied the city from 1881 to 1956 having established a "Protectorate" system of control. During World War II, Tunis was held by Axis forces from November, 1942, to May, 1943, and was their last base in Africa.

Modern history

The Arab League was headquartered in Tunis from 1979 to 1990. The Palestinian Liberation Organization also had its headquarters in Tunis, from 1982 to 1993. In 1985, the PLO's headquarters was bombed by the Israeli Air Force, killing more than 60 people.

Landmarks

The medina

The medina of Tunis has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The medina contains some 700 monuments, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas and fountains dating from the Almohads and the Hafsids periods. These ancient buildings include

• the Great Mosque (including the Muslim University and library)
• Aghlabid Ez-Zitouna Mosque ("Mosque of the Olive") built in 723 by Obeid Allah Ibn-al-Habhab to celebrate the new capital.
• the Dar-al-Bey, or Bey's Palace, is comprised of architecture and decoration from many different styles and periods and is believed to stand on the remains of a Roman theatre as well as the tenth century palace of Ziadib-Allah II al Aghlab.

Other landmarks

• The Bardo Museum was originally a 13th century Hafsid palace, located in the suburbs of Tunis. It contains a collection of Roman mosaics and other antiquities of interest from Ancient Greece, Carthage and from the Arab period.
• The ruins of Carthage are nearby, to the northeast

Economy

Products include textiles, carpets, and olive oil. Tourism is an important source of the city's income.

Transportation

Tunis is served by the Tunis-Carthage International Airport. The growing metropolitan area is served by an extensive network of public transportation including buses, an above-ground light rail system (le Metro), as well a regional train line (le TGM) that links the city center to its closest northern suburbs. Multi-lane autoroutes surround the city and serve the increasing number of privately owned cars one encounters in Tunisia.