Médina of Tunis - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

The médina of Tunis is a Médina Tunisia, historical heart of Tunis, registered since 1979 with the world heritage of UNESCO.

History

Founded in 698 around the initial core of the Mosque Zitouna, it develops its urban fabric throughout the Moyen-âge, towards north and the south, being thus divided into a principal médina and two suburbs in north (Bab Souika) and in the south (Bab El Jazira). Become capital with a powerful kingdom to the time hafside, religious and intellectual hearth and great economic center open on the the Middle East, the the Maghreb, the Africa and the Europe, it obtains many Monument S where the styles mix with the Ifriqiya with the Andalusian and Eastern influences but which also borrow some of their columns or their capitals with the Roman or Byzantine monuments.

Bases

In fact, name “structures arabo-Moslem woman”, in particular in the case of the médina of Tunis, is null and void because, in addition to its generalization ambiguity, it indicates a reducing vision of the richnesses and cultural varieties which the various communities know which adopted the Islam for Religion. The vision ethnocentrist of the Europe indeed often neglected the other cultures and, if it approached them, it confined them in globalities which present only the secondary and unimportant characters of them (exceeded arcades, plentiful ornamentation, etc)

The médina of Tunis presents like specific constant to be at the same time a homogeneous whole in its globality and a juxtaposition of subsets presenting each one this same characteristic: each district is to some extent, a “reduction” of the city in all its concepts. For the natural conditions (Topography and Geology), economic (cost of construction materials), policies (feudal company) and of safety determining for the development of the médina, it is advisable to note the character climatic and religious following:

the Charia (together of the legal tendencies) organizes the personal property (dwelling) like participation at a collective organization (city), in particular in the case of the participation in the mode of the water which is indissociable land and buildings.
the opening towards the sky (Patio and Garden S) as a symbol of religious order, effect of order climatic (lighting, ventilation and regulation of the Temperature) and recall of the bonds with nature (square of sky attaching the house to the Cosmos) constitutes a big factor in the organization of space (in particular on the level of the openings according to the orientation of the sun).
the Community life and the reports/ratios of inside-outside intimacy having a fundamental importance, the built physical limit of the wall is perceived as an envelope inside which the population concerned maintains the privileged reports/ratios. Indeed on the outline drawing, the Climate, the Lifestyle and natural environment imposed a world closed, encircled walls and closed again on itself as well on the level of the housing unit as to that of the district or to that of the urban entity.

Socio-urban structure

With a Surface of 270 Hectare S (more 29 hectares for the district of the kasbah). However, rare are the palates and residences which go back to the Middle Ages, contrary to XVIIe, XVIIIe and XIXe centuries which bequeathed prestigious houses such as Dar Othman (beginning of the 17th century), Dar Ben Abdallah (18th century), the Dar Hussein, Dar Chérif as well as other more or less vast and richly decorated houses whose inventory of the Années 1970 does not count of it less than one hundred. One also counts several palates raised by the beys or of the members of their entourage in the suburbs of Tunis and this since the 13th century. The principal palates of the beys are those of Marsa, the Bardo and Ksar Saïd. If one adds the Mosquée S and oratorical S (approximately 200), the Médersa S (El Bachia, Slimania, El Achouria, Bir El Ahjar, El Nakhla, etc), the Zaouïa S (Sidi Mehrez, Sidi Ali Azouz, Sidi Abdel Kader, etc), the kouttabs, dug peat them (Tourbet El Fellari, Tourbet Aziza Othmana and Tourbet El Bey) and them doors, the number of the monuments of Tunis approaches the 600.

Whatever the form of habitat of the médina (investment property, palate or villa), the decorative register is subject to as of the 19th century the influence of the fine arts (Italian rebirth and Baroque). Starting from the Années 1900 appears the style néo-Moorish (arabisance) constituting an attempt at synthesis between local architectonic qualities (simplicity of the lines of construction and ornamentation) and the modern architecture. Starting from the Years 1920 and until independence, of many buildings Art nouveau and Art déco see the day thanks to the presence of an importance labor Maltese Italy and . In addition, along the Boulevard S create on the site of the old ramparts, the architectural contribution of the period 1850 - 1950 is felt in the official buildings, the médina accommodating nine ministries and the seat of the municipality of Tunis.

Domestic architecture

The domestic architecture of the médina of Tunis presents a stable architectural typology as one as well finds in the middle-class houses, palates that the houses of Ouvrier S. It is about a Mediterranean model of houses with Patio but which articulates in a specific way spaces being useful and been useful: apartments, dependences, the garden, horizontal and vertical circulations and finally terraces.

Patio

The delimitation of the patio, its scale and its orientation conditions the whole of the dwelling and his report/ratio outside. Whatever the scale of a patio, it comprises a basin or a fountain. It is the first space traced on the ground during the construction of a house. At the same time place of life, reception and service, the patio is the hearth of the house and ensures lighting, the heating and the ventilation of the building. It is in addition completely withdrawn from the tumult of the public life. The access to the patio since the street is done by the means of baffles (Vestibule S overlapping in a very elaborate way) which make it possible to filter the inquisitive eyes of outside. Generally, all the parts take the day on the patio and seldom on the street. In this last case, one belongs to the openwork woodworks which make it possible to see without being considering (Moucharabieh S). The proportions of the patio (approximately ¼ of the piece) and its ornamentation attest row of the hosts. Its broad surface contrasts with the small apartments (even cells) located around. Is this there an index of the vacuum of the patriarchal company and primacy of the Community life in the company tunisoise of the 17th century at the 19th century?

The patio can be planted in the taste Andalusian (example of the Dar Othman), paved Pierre Calcaire (example of Dar Hammouda Pasha) or, supreme luxury, of Marbre imported from abroad (example of the Dar Ben Abdallah). Roof of refinement, in certain palates like the Dar Hussein, one counts two patios of pageantry: one located at the ground floor (patio of summer) and the other on the floor (patio of winter). The patio of the middle-class houses generally has galleries that rates/rhythms of the more or less broad gantries, supporting the apartments located on the floor and reinforcing the structure of the ground floor.

Ornamentation

The ornamentation of the patio makes it possible to date the building easily. Thus, for the houses hafsides (16th century-17th century), the walls which border the patio are simply painted with the limes or are covered calcareous stone. The heritage which reached us from this time is alas very rare. One counts today in Tunis less than one ten palate of the time hafside in a state of conservation: Dar Baïram or Dar El Hedri which, according to the Association of safeguard of the médina and the municipality of Tunis, is so much an exemplary case of architecture hafside by its situation (with the accesses of the Zitouna mosque) that by its coating in calcareous Marqueterie of stone of inspiration ziride (niches and consoles).

The houses of the 18th century and the 19th century present a more elaborate ornamentation. Indeed, the walls are covered with Céramique S presenting three major influences: Italianists, Turkish or tunisoises (workshops Qallaline, Chemla and of Verclos). The abandonment of the médina precipitated the ruin of these palates whose materials were plundered and resold on the local markets and were international at exorbitant prices. The ceramics panels of the wall linings which obey strict rules of composition are frequently surmounted by Plâtre S and of Stuc S ( naqcha hadida ) which support the boxes out of wooden painted recovering the Plafond S. In addition to the Calligraphie, decorative elements of the ceramic type or wood painted reveal a purely geometrical expression. The geometric abstraction finds its genesis in the crisis iconoclast. The system of expression developed in the Islamic Architecture presents in addition a modern syntax, the Occident having put several centuries to be expressed apart from the figuration.

Parts in T

Traditional element of the dwelling tunisoise (Moslem and Jewish), the rooms in T represent an original tripartition of spaces (in form of T). That with the advantage of sparing a common central space ( kbu allowing the reception or the stay) and of share and others of the will maksouras (additional) being able to ensure the intimacy of spaces of night or hygiene like the Hammam S (case of Dar Ben Abdallah). The hierarchy of the patriarchal company induced this provision where the three generations (parents, children and large parents) have a wing of the house and find themselves in the patio. It is allowed that the most luxurious apartment is located directly vis-a-vis the entry of the patio.

Mosques

The médina gathers the majority of large the Mosquée S of the capital which all is built before the advent of French protectorate:

the Zitouna mosque, built in 732 in the middle of the Médina then entirely rebuilt in 864, is the principal place of worship of Tunis and, for a long time, an important place of culture and to know by sheltering the buildings of the Université Zitouna until independence of Tunisia. It still accommodates the ceremonies marking the principal dates of the Moslem Calendrier to which assists regularly the president of the Republic.
the mosque of the kasbah, founded in 1230 and practitioner the rite hanéfite since 1584, is characterized especially by the cupola in Stalactite S preceding the Mihrab as by its Minaret which points out that of the Koutoubia of Marrakech and which is most of the city. The “clean” trades are located close to the Mosquée Zitouna because they do not cause any harmful effect by the odor, the noise or the use of water. The fabric merchants, the Perfume eurs, the merchants of dry Fruits, the Bookseller S and the merchants of Laine are concerned contrary to the tanners, Poisson niers, potters and Forgeron S which is relegated to the periphery. There exists thus a codified hierarchy of the trades: trade of the chechias, that of the perfumes, the weaving of the Silk, saddlery, clothes industry of the Clothing S, the manufacture of the Turkish slipper S, weaving, pottery and finally blacksmiths and dyers.

In the north of the Zitouna mosque, which it skirts partly, opens the souk El Attarine (perfumes) built at the beginning of the 18th century. It surprises by its gravers abounding in flasks containing a great gasoline diversity and perfumes. Starting from this souk, a street carries out towards the souk Ech-Chaouachya (chechias) of which the Corporation, those of the chaouachis, is one of oldest country. They are in general descendants of Andalusian emigrants driven out Spain. On the souk El Attarine open two other souks: the first, which skirts the Western frontage of the Zitouna mosque, is the souk El Kmach (fabrics) and the second, the souk El Birka, dating from the XVIIe century, shelters the embroiderers but especially the jewellers. This is why, it is about the only souk whose doors are still closed and kept during the night. In his medium, one notices a square place where old the Marché to the slaves until the middle of the 19th century was. ” Often damaged even completely destroyed during the the Middle Ages, the enclosure always preserved its layout of origin. It was strewn with various doors.

Bab El Jazira, undoubtedly the oldest door of the southernmost wall, opened on the roads of the south and Kairouan. Bab Carthagena gave access to Carthage from where were brought back the construction materials necessary to the city. Bab Souika (initially called Bab El Saqqayin) had the strategic role to keep the roads towards Bizerte, Béja and Kef. Bab Menara (initially called Bab El Artha) opened the médina towards the suburb of El Haoua. As for Bab El Bhar, it gave access to some fondouks where the Christian merchants of Tunis lived.

At the beginning of the reign of the Hafsides, two new doors are bored at the 13th century: Bab Bnet and Bab Jedid. With the development of the capital, two suburbs emergent outside the ramparts: Bab El Jazira (in the south) and Bab Souika (in north). This is why, the sovereign hafside Abû Darba Muhammad Al-Mustansir Al-Lihyânî orders, at the beginning of the 14th century, the construction of one second enclosure including the external médina and his two suburbs. It is equipped with six doors: Bab El Khadra, Bab Saadoun, Bab El Allouj (initially called Bab er-Rehiba), Bab Khalid or Bab Sidi Abdallah Sherif, Bab El Fellah and Bab Alioua. At the time Othoman, four new doors are open: Bab Laassal, Bab Sidi Abdesselam, Bab El Gorjani and Bab Sidi Kacem.

The town of Tunis preserves three doors, Bab Saadoun, Bab El Khadra and Bab El Bhar, which opened the old wall which disappeared mainly.

References

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