Sidi Bou Saïd (rear RTL سيديبوسعيد) is a picturesque village of Tunisia located at 20 kilometers in the North-East of Tunis. It counts 5409 inhabitants (Recensement of 2004).

Perched on a cliff dominating Carthage and the Gulf of Tunis, it bears the name of a Saint: Abou Saïd. It is served by TGM.

History

The Carthaginois then the Romains would have used the heights of current Sidi Bou Saïd to establish a tower with fire there. Besides a mosaic of 6 meters out of 5 proves the old existence of a Roman villa.

At the 11th century, the heights of the village are chosen by the Almoravides for the defense of the north-eastern coasts of Tunisia. Turns of guets and turns with fire are built there. They give the name of the hill besides: Djebel Menara (“mountain of the headlight”).

Abou Saïd, born in 1156 and originating in Béja, sign in the street that he lives in Tunis and which since preserved its name. Towards the end of its life, it is withdrawn on Djebel Menara, in the Ribat builds on the Colline dominating the course Carthage, to assemble the guard and to teach the Soufisme there. It is then called “main of the seas” because of protection that the sailors sailing near the site think of receiving. He dies in 1231 and is buried on the hill. Its Zaouïa undoubtedly constitutes the first element of the village which will take its name.

Archaeological traces located on the northern slope let think that an enclosing wall circumvents the site then.

As of the 17th century, the charm of this village allures the Bourgeoisie tunisoise which made there build luxurious residences. It receives the name of Sidi Bou Saïd when it becomes the seat of a municipality in 1893. The August 28th 1915, a Décret is taken to ensure the protection of the village, imposing so expensive blue and the white on the baron d' Erlanger and prohibiting any anarchistic construction on the headland, making of Sidi Bou Saïd the first site classified in the world. During the 20th century, Sidi Bou Saïd attracts number of Artiste S, Musicien S and writer S, of which Chateaubriand, Gustave Flaubert, Alphonse of Lamartine, André Gide, Colette and Simone de Beauvoir. Michel Foucault writes there the Archeology of the Knowledge .

Tourism

The houses of Sidi Bou Saïd which combine the Andalusian Architecture Arab and are of a bright whiteness and with the blue doors, are dispersed randomly tortuous lanes. tourist High-place with the colors of the Mediterranean, classified since 1915, the site is called the “small white and blue paradise”.

Sidi Bou Saïd is also famous for these coffees:

• the Coffee of the plaits which sheltered the evenings of malouf organized by the music lovers of the village
• the Coffee of Sidi Chabâane, being born towards the end of the Années 1960, which offers a sight on the Golfe of Tunis
• the Coffee of the place of the village which was the reserved domain of the old men of the village

Fatherland of the Music, the village accommodates the Center of the Arab and Mediterranean musics in the residence of Rodolphe d' Erlanger. Baron free - British at the origin of the protection of the city, it contributes largely to the notoriety of the site by revalorizing traditional Tunisian architecture.

Photographs

Random links:

Roscoff | Chavanac | Alexis Tomassian | Marrucins | Jean-Rene Godart