The Al Zaytuna mosque is the oldest mosque in the Tunisian capital and spans over an area of 5000 square meters or 1.2 acres. It is a magnificent structure with around nine entrances. With more than 160 columns brought here from the old city of Carthage, this is a structure that is known to have been the greatest educational center in Islamic history. In fact, many Muslim scholars have graduated from this University for more than 1000 years. You have famous people like Ibn Arafa, Imam Mazari, and Aboul Qacem Echebbi amongst many others who have been teachers here.
Al Zaytuna was the second mosque that was constructed in Ifriquiya and the region of Maghreb. This was constructed after the construction of Uqba in Al-Kairouan. It is still not known when it was built. However, according to writings by Al Bakri and Ibn Khaldun, it was built sometime in 731 CE and it was an Obeid Allah Ibn Al-Habhab who built it. But most scholars agree that it was Hassan Ibnu Nouauman who led the battle between Carthage and Tunis. So we can assume that it was around 703 CE that this structure, a place of prayer for Hassan was constructed.
The design and architecture of this mosque are exquisite and there are nine doorways, which lead into the courtyard. It thus is a huge rectangle, which has galleries surrounding it. There are innumerable columns supporting the various structures of prohyty, granite, and marble. All these are believed to have been taken from the ancient monuments nearby. Built sometime in 1894, the minaret is 43 meters high and is almost alike the Almohad decoration in the Kasbah Mosque. The strapwork of limestone on the ochre sandstone background is a visual treat.
With the structures of Al Zaytuna mosque taking you down memory lane, it is interesting to come across such beautiful pieces of work in tours to Northern Africa.
