Kairouan

Kairouan is a city in central Tunisia and the capital of the Kairouan Governorate. It lies in the Sahel region, about 160 kilometers south of Tunis, and has long been a religious and cultural center in the Maghreb. The city’s historic core, its mosques, and its traditional urban fabric are recognized for their cultural significance.

The city was founded around 670 CE by the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi as a garrison town and base for campaigns in Ifriqiya. It rapidly developed into a major political and religious center, later flourishing under successive dynasties such as the Aghlabids. Throughout the medieval period, Kairouan was a hub of learning, trade, and religious life.

Kairouan is renowned for its architectural and scholarly landmarks. The Great Mosque of Kairouan, founded in the 7th century, is one of the oldest and most influential mosques in the Muslim world and helped shape Maghrebi mosque design. The city is also associated with the Zaytuna Mosque and University (Al-Zaytuna), established in the 8th–9th centuries, which became a prominent center of Islamic scholarship, especially in Maliki jurisprudence.

The Medina of Kairouan was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988 for its outstanding cultural value as a historic urban center of Islamic civilization and for its well-preserved traditional fabric. Today, Kairouan preserves a living tradition of crafts, including carpet weaving and leatherwork, alongside religious and historic tourism centered on its mosques, madrasas, and markets.

The city experiences a semi-arid climate with hot summers and mild winters, and remains an important cultural and religious landmark in Tunisia.