World Heritage Identification Number: 36
World Heritage since: 1979
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Historic Cities & Urban Areas
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇹🇳 Tunisia
Continent: Africa
UNESCO World Region: Arab States
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The Medina of Tunis: A Testament to the Wealth and Grandeur of the Islamic World
The Medina of Tunis, located in the heart of the Tunisian capital, stands as a testament to the rich history and cultural heritage of the Islamic world. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, this ancient city quarter offers a unique glimpse into the grandeur and splendor that once marked Tunis as one of the most significant cities in the Islamic realm during the Almohad and Hafsid periods (12th to 16th centuries).
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
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.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (ii): The relay role played by the Medina of Tunis between the Maghreb, Southern Europeand the East encouraged exchanges of influences in the field of the arts and architecture over many centuries.
Criterion (iii): As an important city and the capital of different dynasties (from the Banu Khurassan, to the Husseinits), the Medina of Tunis bears outstanding witness to the civilizations of Ifriqiya (essentially from the 10th century).
Criterion (v): The Medina of Tunis is an example of a human settlement that has conserved the integrity of its urban fabric with all its typo-morphological components. The impact of socio-economic change has rendered this traditional settlement vulnerable and it should be fully protected.
Encyclopedia Record: Medina of Tunis
The Medina of Tunis is the medina quarter of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.Additional Site Details
Area: 296.41 hectares
Number of Components: 1
(iii) — Unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition
(v) — Outstanding example of traditional human settlement
Coordinates: 36.81667 , 10.16667
