Kairouan was in its heyday a capital of knowledge, to which scholars from the Maghreb and the Mashreq turned to who wanted to perfect themselves in various fields, including philosophy, poetry, medicine and mathematics. Moreover, the holy city occupies a privileged place in the hearts of Tunisians following Mecca and Medina. Heiress of the first camp in Ifriqiya of the Muslim conquerors, it was royal capital, then holy city.
Moreover, Oqba Ibn Nafaâ, the conqueror of the Maghreb, who founded Kairouan in 670, was so inspired by the strategic predispositions of this city that he prayed to God to bless it and preserve it until the end of time. And since Kairouan has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1988, several renovation actions have been undertaken to restore the historical monuments and the multitude of white domes scattered between the terraces and which mark the tombs of Muslim saints and zaouias. And among these major projects, which have transformed the monuments, the souks, the houses and the alleys which still remain an eloquent testimony to the past of Kairouan, we might cite the one concerning the rehabilitation of all the tourist circuit within the Medina started in 2014 and completed in 2017.
At a cost of 4.8 MD, this operation was financed by the Tunisian State, the Iafd (French Development Agency) and the European Investment Bank, and involved infrastructure works (burying 8,000 linear meters of telephone and electricity network, renovation of roads over 28,000 m2 and the restoration of approximately 20,000 m2 facades). In addition, the layout of this project covers an area with strong commercial and tourist appeal, especially on the main street of the souk and Place du Bey.
Restoration work on the Great Oqba Mosque has not yet started
Unfortunately, we note that the follow-up of this project and many others is not ensured, hence the disappointment of the citizens who note that the whole tourist circuit is ugly with garbage cans, the remains of building materials and anarchic displays of junk, second-hand clothes and products made in China.
In addition, we deplore the existence of old shops used as warehouses, ruined houses invaded by scorpions and rubbish, especially in the place of Jrada. In addition, many manholes and manholes are without buffers, which represents a real danger both for pedestrians, who may not see them, and for motorists who may rush into them.
Apart from that, many small and beautiful mosques risk collapsing at any time, given their dilapidation, including the Ibn Torkhana Mosque and that located in Rbat Hdid.
On the other hand, we are still waiting for the start of the restoration of the Great Oqba Mosque, especially at the level of the minaret, at the level of electrification and at the level of the terraces covering an area of 4,000 m2 and who experience serious problems of rainwater infiltration at the level of the slabs. The Saudi donation worth 15 million dollars, intended to contribute to the financing of the rehabilitation project of the Great Mosque and the Medina, will certainly make it possible to consolidate the Hafsid buttresses, to seal the visible cracks at the level of the dome of the minaret, to replace the weathered brickwork and exterior paving and to repair the plaster on certain parts of the south-east wall of the prayer hall. This, in addition to redoing the waterproofing layer of the terraces, especially at the level of the expansion joints of the slabs.
Abandoned souks
In Kairouan, there are old souks which cheerfully carry their seven centuries of existence. The El Majel souks, to name but a few, were part of a merchant and industrial area linked to tonnage that flourished in the Kairouan region since the 13th century.e century thanks to cattle breeding in the surrounding towns. These souks, which therefore date from the Hafsid era, were built on cisterns which are used to collect rainwater. This architectural ensemble fell into disuse in the 1900s. Since then, several restorations have been undertaken, which has saved these places where 14 shops have been fitted out.
Unfortunately, nowadays, the El Majel souks have once more fallen into oblivion. The shops are now closed and the alleys near these souks have become dark in the evening, a lawless zone being the nocturnal stronghold of alcoholics and delinquents. Furthermore, the Old Town is losing some of its architectural features, such as the studded doors, carved frames and Zlabia type windows.
The Sidi Sahnoun Mausoleum
disfigured
Having undergone major renovation and restoration work which has made it possible to highlight the importance of the elevation of the monument threatened by floods and the rise in the water table, as well as the construction of a dome on squinches, the Sidi Sahnoun Mausoleum, the greatest Maliki jurisconsult in the Maghreb, is visited by many Tunisians from different governorates.
Nevertheless, nowadays, this mausoleum, which is in a lamentable state, has become a place of debauchery, for lack of caretaking.
Moreover, all its doors and windows have been broken down, all the walls are cracked and oozing with humidity. The manholes are overflowing and even the nearby cemetery has become an open dump, in addition to the fact that the road connecting this mausoleum to the city has become impassable.
It is for all these reasons that citizens want greater involvement of the State and heritage institutions in Kairouan, which needs to promote its tourist routes.
A note of hope
An envelope of 6.5 million dinars has just been allocated to the municipality of Kairouan for the embellishment and enhancement of the Bab Tounès square (Tunis post office), the Rabta currently disfigured by anarchic displays and old wheelbarrows. Hopefully the work will start soon.
In addition, Mr. Fethi Bahri, scientific manager of the Regional Heritage Inspectorate of the Centre-West, under the INP, recently declared on Radio Sabra FM that surveys carried out by teams from the National Heritage Institute in the recreational area of the Aghlabid basins, led to the discovery of four new basins of different sizes and an aqueduct.
These new discoveries once restored will make this area 14 ha. encompassing the Aghlabid basins, a unique hydraulic complex in the world.