I arrived in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia during Ramadan, the Islamic month for fasting . During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating, drinking, and smoking during daylight hours . In Tunis, mosques are as common as Roman Catholic churches are in Rome . While not permitted to enter the mosques, I was able to take pictures of the minarets of several of mosques, including Al-Zaytuna, Kasbah, Hammouda Pacha, and Youssef Dey, all located in the Medina area of Tunis.
Al-Zaytuna is the oldest mosque in Tunis, built before or during the Abbasid Caliphate (750-1258 AD) . The minaret was built in 1894 and is similar to that of the Kasbah Mosque . The Kasbah Mosque itself was built in 1230 AD, during the Almohad Caliphate (1121-1269 AD) . The Hammouda Pacha Mosque was built in 1655 AD and the Youssef Dey Mosque was built in 1631 AD, both during the rule of the Ottoman Empire (1299-1923 AD).
Minaret of Al-Zaytuna Mosque
SOURCE: Minaret of Al-Zaytuna Mosque (Tunis, Tunis Governorate, Tunisia); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 07 August 2011.
Minaret of Kasbah Mosque
SOURCE: Minaret of Kasbah Mosque (Tunis, Tunis Governorate, Tunisia); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 07 August 2011.
Minaret of Hammouda Pacha Mosque
SOURCE: Minaret of Hammouda Pacha Mosque (Tunis, Tunis Governorate, Tunisia); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 07 August 2011.
Minaret of Youssef Dey Mosque
SOURCE: Minaret of Youssef Dey Mosque (Tunis, Tunis Governorate, Tunisia); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 07 August 2011.
Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko
