Sousse (rear RTL سوسة) is a port city of the east of the Tunisia, located at 143 kilometers in the south of Tunis, and opened on the Golfe of Hammamet (Mediterranean).

“Capital” of the the Tunisian Sahel - it is sometimes called the “pearl of the Sahel” - and Chef-lieu of the governorship of the same name, the population of its municipality reaches 173.047 inhabitants: Northern Sousse, Sousse Southern, Sousse Médina and Sousse Riadh. The two first are created the February 11th 1976 and the two last the February 19th 1982.

History

If the Peuples of the sea were undoubtedly fixed before in the area of Sousse, it is with the Phéniciens that one allots the first known name of the city. With the toponym Hadrim appears who indicates, according to Me hamed Hassine Fantar, an enclosure or a district of dwelling. The archaeological vestiges of the site however hardly go up beyond the sixth century BC, period when Hadrim passes under the authority of Carthage and saw with it the Punic Wars all while maintaining an identity phenician as attest it in particular the local funerary practices. After having lost the Battle of Zama, Hannibal Barca, which has properties in the surroundings of Hadrim, makes carry out civil work with its soldiers and is at the origin of the many plantation olive-trees in the area.

Hadrim is released gradually from the Carthaginian supervision by establishing economic relations and diplomatic direct with Rome of which it takes the party lasting the Third Punic War. After the destruction of Carthage, Hadrumétins become, according to the expression of Appien, the “friends of the Roman people” and the city, renamed Hadrumète ( Hadrumetum ), becomes a privileged and free Roman city. In 46 av. J. - C., it loses part of its privileges and is struck of a door Amende when it chooses the camp of the Pompéiens against the victorious Jules César. At the end of the 1st century, Hadrumète is the first African city to profit from the statute of honorary colony which is allotted by the emperor Trajan. In recognition, monuments glorifiant the generous emperor are set up: Triumphal arch, theater, Amphitheater, thermal baths, etc the prosperity of the city culminates at the 3rd century under the reign of the Dynastie of the Sévères. The trade of the Olive oil makes great great strides after the founder of the dynasty founds a free distribution and daily of oil with Rome. The city strikes even its clean Monnaie. When in 238, the city supports the “usurper” Capellien, it is to undergo the repression of the new emperor Gordien II. Public monuments and villas are shaved and the port formerly so active loses of its importance. The city finds a relative prosperity when in 297 the emperor Dioclétien makes of Hadrumète the Capitale news province of Byzacène which extends on the center from the country.

When in 439 the Vandales drive out the Romans and destroy the pregnant city, Hadrumète takes the name of Hunéricopolis drawn from the name of Hunéric (wire of the vandal chief). It vegetates during one century before its destruction by plunderers come from the south of the country and little before the arrival of the Byzantine troops. The port, completely ensablé, is given in state by the Byzantine emperor Justinien whose city takes the name in 535 (Justinianopolis) and becomes the Chef-lieu one of the seven provinces of the Diocèse of Africa. The Byzantine period lasts approximately 135 years.

The beginning of the period arabo-Moslem woman can be fixed in 670, when Oqba Ibn Nafaa besieges the city which takes the name of Sousse. It is initially a Agglomération equipped in 787 with a Ribat and primarily inhabited by ascetics in charge of the defense of the coasts. The Wine, the plays and the Musique are proscribed. The new rise of Sousse comes from the second prince aghlabide Ziadet-Allah Ier who equips the town of a Shipyard (821) from which the Navire S leave to the conquest the Sardinia (821), of the Sicily (827) or of Rome (846). At the 9th century, the city opened and accommodates Christian Moslem, and Jewish . It then becomes the second city of the Ifriqiya and the first of the the Sahel. During the period fatimide, the prosperity of Sousse suffers only moderately from the foundation of Mahdia. The city, which exports its fabrics in the East and Occident, is also a prosperous olive-growing city. Until 1159, Sousse undergoes the attacks then the occupation of the Normands. But its decline, as from the 12th century, is especially due to the promotion of Tunis like capital under the reign of the Hafsides, with the impoverishment of the back-country of which it constitutes the maritime outlet and, at the 13th century, with the competition of the Textile S exported since the Europe, period during which Génois settle in Sousse. The city undergoes short a Spanish occupation between 1537 and 1574.

During the Othoman time (1574 - 1881), the city finds its importance. Sousse is then, at the 17th century, the second port commercial of the country. To the embroiderers and tisserands are added craftsmen potters which export their production in all the Mediterranean basin. At the end of the 18th century, the city suffers from the Bombardement S French (1770) and Venetian (1784 and 1786). The city is inserted in the decline after 1864 when it lines up against Sadok Bey in a Insurrection antifiscale. It passes, like all Tunisia, under the French protectorate as from 1881. The creation of a new port (1884) gives again to him however its role of maritime outlet of the products of the Steppe. The municipality of Sousse is instituted the July 16th 1884.

Structure and town planning

The Eastern side of the médina is supplemented by a port increased starting from 1899. More to north the new city built under the French protectorate extends and characterized by its broad rectilinear streets and its walk dominating the sea where the hotels in direction of Port El-Kantaoui are aligned.

Médina

See also: Médina de Sousse

The Médina of Sousse, just like that of Tunis, is classified with the world heritage UNESCO. One of the elements which distinguish it is the site of principal the Mosquée which is not in the center of the city. Like the Ribat, it was charged to protect the artificial basin from the Arsenal, which explains its military pace.

The ribat was born during the reign of the Dynastie of the Aghlabides (821) but, after the construction of the walls of the city in 859, lost little by little its military function. Whereas on the floor a small mosque is, the basement is arranged in various buildings and stores whereas traces of a Presse with Olive remain. The imposing one entered flanked of two Pilier S of Corinthian style is conceived as a double Porte, which made it possible to block the access to the fortress. As for the Kasbah, it is located in the highest part of the médina and dates from the year 844. In 853, a Phare 30 height meters is baptized name of a Eunuque of the sovereign aghladide Ziadet-Allah Ier (Khalaf El Fatâ). Today, it is in its walls that is placed the archaeological Musée of Sousse.

Ramparts and doors

August 1st

Religious buildings

Large mosque

According to the inscription being reproduced on the interior frontage in style kufi, the Large mosque would have been built around the year 236 of the hégire (that is to say between 850 and 851) by the sovereign aghlabide Aboul Abbas I {{er}}. The room of prayer was increased in three stages between 894 and 897 in direction of the wall of the Qibla. The house capped of a Cupola located at the northern angle of the building and which holds place of Minaret is a later addition, contrary at the opinion of Creswell, first half of the 10th century. Indeed, this cupola is already mentioned in the Biographie of the Juge soussien El Hassan Ben Nasr El Soussî died in 952: At the period of the annual market, when Kairouanais came to the ribat, it judge was accustomed to sitting down under the cupola ( qubba ) of the Large mosque of Sousse from which one called with the prayer and from where one dominated the doors giving access to the sea. When he saw a man coming with a young person to his sides, he let it come. If the young person were with his father or another relative, it let it pass. When it judge suspectait '', it stopped it having the garçon. freely

Mosque Drunk Ftata

Oldest Mosquée of the city is near the southern door, more precisely with the edge of the Souk S. the mosque Bu Ftata built between 838 and 841 carries the oldest inscription crowned of style kufi in North Africa on the exterior facade of the building. According to the tradition followed by the sovereign aghlabide Aboul Affan, this small mosque measures only eight meters on side and bears the name of the freed Bu Ftata.

Médersa El Zaqqaq

Near the Large mosque, in the street of Sicily where the residential districts of the médina meet the souks, is the médersa El Zaqqaq which is flanked of its clean Mosquée surmounted by a Minaret of Turkish style. According to the local tradition, this old school would bear the name of the scholar Morocco Ain Ali ibn Kasim El Zaqqaq (death in 1506 with Fès). It is however probable that its name comes from that of a local scholar less known, Abou Jaafar Ahmed El Zaqqaq, which lived at the end of the 9th century. The pupils were placed in the small buildings of the school and there studied the Coran, the Grammaire and the Rhétorique. In the beginning, it was undoubtedly about a private house which, under the reign of the Hafsides, was transformed into school.

Demography

August 1st

Culture

Museums

Located in the Kasbah, the archaeological Musée has the second collection of mosaics after that of the National museum of Bardo.

In the west of the city, the catacombs form a Labyrinthe of 240 underground galleries being spread on 5 kilometers and containing 15.000 burials.

Festivals and events

The cultural season is marked, each July 24th, festival day before of the Republic, by the Carnaval of Aoussou. Skirting the beach and going up the avenue Habib Bourguiba in direction of the médina, of the tanks symbolizing the environment, teaching or the communications ravel at the sides of Tunisian and foreign folk troops.

Teaching

The city shelters the Université of Sousse (known in the past like the University of the Center). One notes also the presence of certain numbers of Lycée S such as the Experimental high school, the College of boys, the College Tahar-Sfar (in the past Lycée of young girls), the College March 20th, the Abdelaziz-El-Bahi College or the College El Jawhra.

Policy

August 1st The Municipal council is composed of 40 members of which the president, a vice-president and 38 advisers.

Economy

The saving in Sousse rests mainly on the industrial activity, its Usine S primarily manufacturing material of Transport, Textile S and products Agroalimentaire S (in particular of the Sardine S out of box and Olive oil). The agricultural market of the Sahel (Olive grove S) and the Tourisme - in particular thanks to its central position compared to many historic sites or balneal like Port El-Kantaoui, Monastir, Hammamet, El Jem and Kairouan - represent another share of the local economy.

Transport

The town of Sousse is served by a line of regional Railroad, the Métro of the Sahel, connecting Sousse to Monastir and Mahdia. The overall length of the line is of 97 kilometers.

Sport

The sporting Star of the Sahel is the general sports club of reference of the area of the Sahel. Founded the May 11th 1925 and based in Sousse (currently with the avenue Mohamed Karoui), it comprises six sections of Football, Volley-ball, Basket-ball, Handball, Judo and Lutte. Its football team is one of most prestigious national championship and plays Olympic stadium. She is finalist of the Ligue of the Champions of the CIF in 2004 and 2005 and victorious of this same competition in November 2007.

There exist other sports associations of Sousse such as the Stade soussien, an old glory of national football in the Années 1960, the Athletic club of Sousse or the Patriote of Sousse (created in 1903 and senior of the Tunisian clubs). Without of course forgetting the Female association of the Sahel (ASFS) which has excellent teams of handball and of football female.

Appendices

Personalities

Twinnings

Sousse developed cooperative relations with towns of several continents via the establishment of relations of Jumelage:

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