Tunisia: Village of Sidi Bou Saïd

The property is a picturesque village perched on a promontory overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, harmoniously integrated into the cliff topography. It developed around the tomb of a Sufi master and saint, known as Sidi Bou Saïd, who lived in the 12th-13th centuries. Through its architectural fabric and urban planning in symbiosis with the natural environment, its recognisable aesthetic created by emblematic colours, and a mystic aura associated with the Sufi spirituality that permeates the site, the property brings together geomorphology, architecture, and spirituality. It has long inspired artists and continues to attract visitors seeking spiritual serenity. source:whc.unesco.org

Inscribed: 2026

 Thanks to M Riadh who sent this postcard in 2011.

Tunisia: Djerba: Testimony to a settlement pattern in an island territory

This serial property is a testimony to a settlement pattern that developed on the island of Djerba around the 9th century CE amidst the semi-dry and water-scarce environment. Low‑density was its key characteristic: it involved the division of the island into neighbourhoods, clustered together, that were economically self-sustainable, connected to each other and to the religious and trading places of the island, through a complex network of roads. Resulting from a mixture of environmental, socio-cultural and economic factors, the distinctive human settlement of Djerba demonstrates the way local people adapted their lifestyle to the conditions of their water-scarce natural environment. source:whc.unesco.org

Inscribed: 2023

 Thanks to Veerle of Belgium.

Tunisia: Medina of Tunis

Under the Almohads and the Hafsids, from the 12th to the 16th century, Tunis was considered one of the greatest and wealthiest cities in the Islamic world. Some 700 monuments, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, madrasas and fountains, testify to this remarkable past. Source:whs.unesco.org

Inscribed: 1979

 Thanks to Veerle of Belgium

Tunisia: Dougga/ Thugga

Before the Roman annexation of Numidia, the town of Thugga, built on an elevated site overlooking a fertile plain, was the capital of an important Libyco-Punic state. It flourished under Roman and Byzantine rule, but declined in the Islamic period. The impressive ruins that are visible today give some idea of the resources of a small Roman town on the fringes of the empire. Source:whc.unesco.org

Inscribed: 1997

 Thanks to Veerle of Belgium.

Tunisia: Archaeological Site of Carthage

Carthage was founded in the 9th century B.C. on the Gulf of Tunis. From the 6th century onwards, it developed into a great trading empire covering much of the Mediterranean and was home to a brilliant civilization. In the course of the long Punic wars, Carthage occupied territories belonging to Rome, which finally destroyed its rival in 146 B.C. A second – Roman – Carthage was then established on the ruins of the first. Source:whc.unesco.org

Inscribed: 1979

Thanks to Ms Veerle

Tunisia: Amphitheatre of El Jem

The impressive ruins of the largest colosseum in North Africa, a huge amphitheatre which could hold up to 35,000 spectators, are found in the small village of El Jem. This 3rd-century monument illustrates the grandeur and extent of Imperial Rome. source:whc.unesco.org

Inscribed: 1979

 Thanks to Ms Veerle who was visiting Tunisa.

Tunisia: Kairouan

Founded in 670, Kairouan flourished under the Aghlabid dynasty in the 9th century. Despite the transfer of the political capital to Tunis in the 12th century, Kairouan remained the Maghreb's principal holy city. Its rich architectural heritage includes the Great Mosque, with its marble and porphyry columns, and the 9th-century Mosque of the Three Gates. Source:whc.unesco.org

Inscribed: 1988

Tunisia: Medina of Sousse

Sousse was an important commercial and military port during the Aghlabid period (800–909) and is a typical example of a town dating from the first centuries of Islam. With its kasbah, ramparts, medina (with the Great Mosque), Bu Ftata Mosque and typical ribat (both a fort and a religious building), Sousse was part of a coastal defence system. Source:whc.unesco.org

Inscribed: 1988. Modification: 2010

Thanks to Mr Radim who was visiting Tunisia.