About Great Mosque of Kairouan

The Great Mosque of Kairouan is a model for later mosques in Tunisia. Built-n 670 AD, it covers almost 9,00 square meters and is one of the oldest places of worship in Islam. The mosque does not have symmetrical measurements. It is longer on the east and south sides. It looks more like a fortress than a place of prayer. Its walls are made of ocher, stone, and brick. Buttressed towers stand at each corner. While austere on the outside, inside is a portico of marble columns and horseshoe arches around a central courtyard. The Great Mosque of Kairouan was built out of repurposed materials from earlier Roman, Christian, and Byzantine monuments. 

Walking through the quiet narrow streets of Medina you will be able to leave your cares behind you. The neighborhoods here are more authentic than the tourist-focused Medina of Hammamet. The houses in the Medina are the real attraction here. They are modest, with peeling paint, arches, and shutters in hues of green and blue on whitewashed walls. You’ll find them on any of the mazes of lanes in the city. For a bit of excitement, be sure to pay a visit to one of the babs and the covered souq.

Must See

  • Impressive Islamic architecture
  • Vaulted mosques
  • White walls which are amazing 
  • Doors which are unique and beautiful
  • Prayer rooms and architecture
  • An early example of the hypostyle mosque that reflects the eastern Islamic and pre-Islamic art and motifs that were introduced into North African Islamic architecture
  • Mosque with nine different gates
  •  The roof of the sanctuary and the courtyard porticos are held up by repurposed Roman and Byzantine capitals and columns

How to reach

By Train: 

2 hours and 36 minutes, 39.82 TND

By Taxi:

165.9 km via Autoroute A1/Trans-African Highway 1 and P2

 

Tips

  •  The breathtaking Arab-Muslim architecture to cherish the memories of a visit
  • A historical place with an amenable atmosphere to relax and rejuvenate from the daily hustle
  • It is must-visit  UNESCO world heritage site 
  • Peace and calmness provides tranquility to the visitor 
  • Wear conservative clothes as it is a place for prayer 
  • Cover your heads as it is a place of worship
  • Non-Muslims cannot enter this mosque
  • Employ the services of a guide for a few dinars
  • Enjoy the ancient artifacts, a model of the Great Mosque and a rooftop terrace that allows one an aerial view of the mosque
  • You can see street art, markets, colorful features of the doors cherishing your memories 
  • You get a glimpse of long brick wall reinforced by numerous towers making your visit worthwhile 
  • A place to visit for its breathtaking Arab-Muslim architecture and beauty that adds on to the uniqueness of the place 
  • You can be delighted by the amazing taste of a Turkish coffee served at the cafes
  • Maintain discipline and silence inside the premises as it is a place of worship
  • Wander around a local shopping area 
  • Several mosques surrounding this particular mosque may inspire you

Visit Time

Sunday:         8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Monday:        8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Tuesday:       8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Wednesday:  8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Thursday:      8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Friday:           8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Saturday:       8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Time Icon

Waiting Time

No

 

Entrance Fee Icon

Entrance Fee

Yes

Adults: 10 DT

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Time you can spend Icon

Time you can spend

1 to 2 hours

 

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Weather

Scattered Clouds 20.03°C

 

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