Dar Ben Abdallah

The Dar Ben Abdallah is a Palais of the Médina of Tunis (Tunisia) located in the southern district in the direct vicinity of the Tourbet El Bey.

This palate of the 18th century, which bears the name of its former owners, is decorated with woodworks, Stuc and Céramique. It shelters the Musée of arts and traditions popular of Tunis.

The degree of development of the decorative elements as well as the proportions of spaces of reception and the richness of materials used (imported Italy) register Dar Ben Abdallah in the scale of the palates of the Médina (Dar Hussein or Dar Lasram) and not of the middle-class houses. The palate is an exemplary whole of the domestic Architecture tunisoise of the XIXe century.

Structure

The large door of the museum opens on a succession of baffles whose articulation makes it possible to preserve the intimacy of the Patio and to serve the stage of the guests (Dar Dhiaf). These spaces are richly covered panels of Céramique Italianist (invoice of XIXe) which surmount by the stuccos finely carved of Calligraphie S and Rinceau X. Bench S in Pierre S Calcareous S ( kadhel ) with Archstone X black and white, covered with plaits, made it possible to the host to receive (trades or trade) without disturbing the family life. The large central patio, entirely covered white Marble of Carrara marble, is surrounded on its four sides of a surmounted gallery with gantries of a Mezzanine. It joins together four Appartement S transformed into showrooms to traditional typology (rooms in T and will maksoura ). These parts still preserve some jewels of the Office of the indigenous arts joined together by the Architecte and ethnologist Jacques Revault (Coffre S in Nacre, costumes traditional, jewels, objects of the daily life, etc)

In addition to usual splendors - Ceiling S painted and large marble fountain with three basins superimposed -, the palate preserved its old kitchen ( dwyria ). Organized around a second patio with the beautiful proportions, it is luminous and communicates directly with the street Ben Abdallah, which contrasts with the other relatively dark and only open parts on the patio. One discovers there the traditional ustensils in Poterie, Cuivre or Bois.

Dar Ben Abdallah enjoys moreover a makhzen (old stables) reconverted in museum (tools artisanal of the Chéchia S) like one of vast a Jardin of Andalusian inspiration (with kiosk and fountains) particularly rich.

Museum

Opened in 1978, the museum recalls the daily life of high the Bourgeoisie tunisoise of the XIX {{E}} and XX {{E}} centuries. It is divided into two great sections: one is reserved for the family life with the principal events and rites and the other is devoted to the public life of the city with its institutions (Mosquée S, Souk S and coffees). The economic life is illustrated through the various trade associations. These evocations are made in the form of four tables devoted respectively to the man, the bride, the woman and the child (mannequins in costumes of time, Meuble S, Jouet S, jewels and ustensils domestic).

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