EBook: Medina Of Sousse

Ethnicity in Medina of Sousse Population

According to the CIA World Factbook, ethnic groups in Tunisia are: Population of Tunisia currently is 11 million. Medina of Tunis,
Arab, European, Jewish and other. comprises one-tenth of the population.

Language Tunisian Language
(Main)
● French
● Arabic

*based on recorded data in 2010

68% Tunisian Arab
27% Bedouin Arab
2.5% Algerian Arab
1.5% Amazigh (Berber)
2% Others

Religion Tunisia’s culture is highly diverse, in part because of long periods of Ottoman and then French rule but
also because populations of Jews and Christians have lived among a Muslim majority for centuries.
Medina of Similarly, the capital, Tunis, blends ancient Arab souks and mosques and modern-style office
Sousse buildings into one of the most handsome and lively cities in the region. Other cities include Sfax
(Ṣafāqis), Sousse (Sūsah), and Gabès (Qābis) on the fertile coast and Kairouan (Al-Qayrawān) and
El-Kef (Al-Kāf) in the arid interior.

Christianity Islam Judaism

Religious community in Medina of Sousse holds the majority of Muslims because the Christians and Jewishs
minorities have declined substantially in number since independence

Virtually the entire population
is Muslim, and Islam, in its
Mālikī Sunni form, is the state
religion.; non-Muslims
numbered more than 300,000 in
1956 but have since been
reduced to only tens of
thousands. Official openness to
religious diversity permits both
communities to practice their
faiths.

Cultural Mapping : Residential & Accomodation

This map shows the residential quarter
and accomodation of the old town

The Medina is mostly residential
with a some souks and some
mosques

Large parts of the medina were
primarily used externally through
publicly initiated activities as
well as economic and tourist-
related activities.

The Sousse medina has
accommodation as well as
commercial and craft activities.
Extending over 32ha it includes a
little less than 2000 housing in 2004.
With approximately 60 housing
units per hectare, the medina of
Sousse represents a higher
density than the average of the
municipality which it is located at
approximately 17 dwellings per
hectare.

Mosque Medina of Sousse Mosquée el
N.T.S souk@Badreddine
There are 15 mosques in the Medina of Sousse Mosquée El Chelli
including old and new mosque.
Mosquée El akaouhet
Zaouia Zakkak
Mosquée El Jaziri
This building has a mausoleum , a
mosque and a madrasah . Its minaret Mosquée Rebaa
built in the 18th century by the Mosquée Hanafi
Ottomans is known for its orthogonal
shape and its richly decorated Mosquée Zamnatar
facades with ceramic . It is located on
Taberka Street Mosquée Abi Lamha

Grande Mosquée de Mosquée Badreddine
Sousse
Mosquée El kasba
The construction dates back to 851 Mosquée de port - Ali
during the rule of Aghlabid Dynasty. Ibn Abi Taleb
The mosque was renovated and Sidi Ali Mosque
improved several times during the 10th
and 17th centuries. It is adjacent to the
ribat, which influenced the mosque's
fortified appearance with a wall with
balconies and barges.

Mosquée Bou Ftata

The Bou Ftata mosque was built
between 838 and 841 during the reign of
the aghalbid emir Aboul Affan. it is
considered to be one of the oldest
mosques in the city of Sousse. The
mosque has been a listed monument
since October 18, 1945 4 , the minaret
having been classified separately as of
January 25, 1922.

Church Synagogue

Rue de L'église Keter Torah
Synagogue
Small church
community that once The city of Sousse has
exist near the Ribat of had a large Tunisian
Sousse. Jewish community
dating back to the
Medina of Sousse Punic period. An 1853
N.T.S census counted 400
Jewish families in
Sousse. Keter Torah
Synagogue was built in
1913 and is the main
synagogue in the city.
Jewish community
continued to decrease
over the years. Sousse
once had six
synagogues, today
only Keter Torah is still
operational and was
announced that the
synagogue was placed
on the list of heritage
sites

Tourism

● Sousse’s character had retained Ribat The Great Mosque Zaouia Zakkak Mosque Rebaa Zaouiet Sidi Bouraoui

the solidly Arab’s and

Mediterenian influence. It had

assumed in the centuries after

Islam’s wars of conquest.

● Medina of Sousse known as

heritage site that famous with Koubba Bin el-K’haoui Dar El Gaied Dar Echaraa Citerne de la sofra

its architectural building and

emblematic monuments, is in

outstanding condition that can

attract tourist from all around

the world.

Mosque Sidi Ali Ammar Mosque Badreddine The Bou Ftata Mosque Zaouiet Sidi Chouiref

Kasbah Dar Esid Museum

Markets in Sousse

SOUQ ER-RIBBA, SOUK DE SOUSSE, SOUK EL CALD

This souq (market) is the closest Sousse
comes to a medieval bazaar. The roof is
unmistakably modern, yet the sales-pitch
beneath it is age-old. Far from the tranquillity of the
southern medina, Souq er-Ribba
(Map p188 ) forms the commercial heart of
the medina. The place is a riot of colour,
packed with haggling merchants, browsing
tourists and barrow boys trying to squeeze
through with their improbably overloaded
carts. This is not the world’s most evocative
bazaar but worth exploring nonetheless

Residential

The Sousse medina has accommodation as well as commercial and craft activities.
Extending over 32ha it includes a little less than 2000 housing in 2004. With approximately 60 housing units per hectare, the
medina of Sousse represents a higher density than the average of the municipality which it is located at approximately 17
dwellings per hectare. Indeed, the medina constitutes about 1% of the urbanized spaces of the municipality while it
accommodates more than 3% of housing.

Medina Commune

Number of dwellings 1960 53852
% housing 3.64 100
Urbanized area (ha) 32 3174

% of urbanized area (ha) 1.01 100
Number of dwelling/ha 16.97
61.25
Housing density ● Stratégie de Développement de la Ville de Sousse Suivre. (n.d.). Sdvs rapport pré diagnostic

Source: Personal elaboration from INS 2004 data (*) urbanisme vf. SlideShare.
https://fr.slideshare.net/StrategieSousse/sdvs-rapport-pr-diagnostic-urbanisme-vf.

Traditions, Social and Customs in Medina of Sousse

HAMMAM HENNA MUSIC

A Hammam or Turkish bath is a type of Henna has become one of the An integral part of the national culture is the
steam bath or a place of public bathing national features and today it is used music of Sufis. A few centuries ago, national
associated with the Islamic world.The for cosmetic purposes in various songs were sung with accompaniment of
hammam is often located near the mosque. countries around the world. While in Rababa, the one-stringed musical instrument.
Modern saunas are multi-purpose sports some European countries they use Before, folk songs were performed exclusively
complexes, as they offer customers high henna mainly for hair care and by women, or rather women's groups that
quality massages and beauty treatments. tattooing, people of Sousse use it a were called Rababia. Today, old musical
Many interesting traditions are associated very unusual way. According to an old instruments are replaced with kamandzha, a
with hammam. tradition, they paint soles of feet with stringed instrument looking like a violin.
henna.

Traditional clothes Slippers & Leather slippers used as
shoes shoes in Tunisia. It considered
Traditional attire:
Jebba all around world to be
classical sign of arab world.
This slippers can be rounded

at the tip

Traditional This dress usually used for special
Influence occasion in rural area. Farmla is

used beneath the Jebba

In urban areas, the ceremonial
dress a little bit different where
the Jebba worn with linen collar

shirt and long sleeves

The Jebba is the traditional, oldest
and important dress majority worn

by men of Sousse.

The Jebba usually in white colour
in summer and gray in winter.

However many other color can be
used

Clothes Male Traditional attire :
Jebba
Embroidery
● Jebba is made from wool and silk
● The wool used for Jebba imported

from East and Europe especially
England

● In Eastern the Jebba called as
dishdasha or abaya

Jebba influences: Stitches Male Traditional attire :
Jebba
● The Jebba is influenced by
turkish and andalusian that ● Jebba is a tough product to be
manufactured.
preserved its original arab roots
in terms of general appearance. ● It is ensured by four craftsman who
cut,sew,stitch and embroidery

Medina of Tunis
N.T.S

Clothes Sefsari symbolic:

Traditional women ● Represent an authentic cultural
attire: Tunisian heritage and its common to
Safsari see ladies in Saferi in postcard

● Sefsari is women dress worn by Tunisian. ● Make it an intergenerational heritage
● Seferi was introduced approximately in product

16th century ● Viewed as a conveyor of people’s
● The way Tunisian wear sefsary is by tradition, identity and history.

enfold their bodies from head to ankle Sefsari material
to prevent from man gaze
● Often worn by senior women /old lady. ● Sefsari usually comes in ivory
● Tunisian also wear it during National of but can be more colorful in
Traditional dress in 15th March southern Tunisia.

● The fabric type is cotton but
generally in silk

Clothes

Foot attire for men: Balghas in Foot attire for ladies: Chabrellas
Balghas pointed tip Kobkabs

● On the foot, the Soussien wore "balghas", leather ● Soussean ladies usually
wore wooden shoes at
slippers yellow home known as kobkabs

● These slippers can be pointed or rounded ● While in the street, they
at the tip use "chebrellas", sort of
patent leather moccasins
● They often are nicely decorated and made
from natural materials only.

Balghas in kobkabs
round tip

Clothes Traditional women Traditional women
attire: attire: Keswa
●
● Lallemand ● In significant event such as wedding, the
● bride wore sumptuous silk clothes totally
The women wore a loose-fitting shirt canvas covered with gold and silver embroidery,
trimmed with lace on the front, with
embroidered ● Keswa consist of the camisa (inner cloth
They put on pants bouffant also trimmed with wider neckline and length butterfly
with lace, and were draped in a ‘fouta’. sleeves),"seroual" as pants, "el aba" as
They covered the head with a silk scarf jacket and the "caftan". kind of coat
‘takrita.
●

Headdress: Clothes
Taguia

Sousse ● Taguia is a traditional headdress in form of
crown that only used by Sousse lady only.

● Usually the headdress is used with complete
traditional attire especially during ceremony
known as El-Henna

● The headdress makes the costume more
festive, expensive and beautiful.

Taguia
Materials

● Sousse traditional costume rich with
golden and jewelry

● The most popular jewelry made from gold
sovereigns are necklace, ear ring and also
the Taguia

● Based on tradition,the groom have to
present gold jewelry to his future wife

Clothes Sefsari Silk

Culture Influences ● Craftsman do not have
resource or ability to
● After the independence of Tunisia, the president had import silk from
tried to have people abandon its use. China.

● The wearing of this historical costume and its ● Imported silk impacted
demand are starting drop. the price and lead to
economically profitable
● Tunisia, which is part of (Middle East and North
African nations) and is on the Mediterranean Sea's Modernization
southern coast, Tunisia has been a meeting point of
European cultures on the one hand and ● Currently sefsari not completely
Middle-East cultures on the other hand disappeared

● The western characteristics have encouraged ● Some Tunisian designer have
modernism and a separation from Tunisian modernized the Sefsari to make
traditions, while the middle-eastern characteristics more suitable for the new
have produced distinct styles. generation.

●

Olivewood Factory Craft
Hammam Sousse
Olivewood craft:
Supplied and City
manufactured
Medina of
● There is a factory known as Sousse
OLIVEWOOD that produce items for
kitchen and table, decor and gift
items.

● The factory located at Hammam
Sousse city where the olive trees are
abundant.

● The olive wood products are
handmade by skilled craftsman.

Olivewood craft and Souq in Medina
souvenir of Sousse

Medina of Tunis ● Usually traditional craft, dishes
N.T.S and souvenirs are mostly found
at the souq in the old city
Medina of Sousse

● All the craft made from olive
wood

Craft : Carpet All the carpet’s picture located at souq
in old town Medina of Sousse. Analize
● The popular woven handmade craft can be from the picture, people in Medina of
found most in Medina of Sousse market are
carpets and rugs. Sousse familiarly with S-shape,
diamond, camel, mihrab and mountain
● The carpet motives and pattern have their own
symbolic. shape of carpet. Every single shape
derived their own symbol
● The carpets are handwoven by women without
set any design or pattern in mind make each rug
and carpet unique and shows the expression of
the weavers own stories.

Carpet stall in Medina of Sousse souq

Camel Zigzag/ Local woman
shape mountain shape making handicraft
along the border carpet in Medina
S-shape combine with diamond shape
carpets of the rug of Sousse

Craft Carpets and rugs motives/symbolic.

Diamond Represent human eyes.
Symbol on the rug
Boteh Symbolize Ram means to ward off
universe,everlastin horn against evil glance.
Diamond also
g & fertility. The Represent
small pasley in masculinity,power,f symbolized women &
large paisley ertility,heroism and when there were 2
symbolize mother’s
believed that joined diamond, they
womb women weaved represent woman and
ram horn motives
on rugs,wished for man
quality of future

husband

8 pointed Cross
star
Represent the four
Represent force of
Happiness but on a
nature-earth,air,fire
spiritual level. and water
Symbolize ability of
human beings, to
attain higher level

of understanding
and wisdom.

Craft Carpets and rugs motives/symbolic.

S-shape S shape/ curve is
believed to be based
Spider Scorpion and spiders Camel
& are poisonous on Zoroastrian
venom.usually Camel is an symbol of the sun. it
Scorpion people will keep important animal is also considered a
in transportation. It protective motives
jewelry in a way that symbolise strength
it resembled the and endurance. meant to ward off
against the evil eyes.
shape of scorpio to
protect items from

getting stolen

Mihrab Mountain

The mihrab Often found along
indicate qibla or the border of the
rugs.It represent
direction of hardship that must
Kaabah in Mecca. be climb over and
Generally feature
on Muslim prayer overcome

rugs/ islamic
prayer rugs

FOOD

Brik Tunisian Couscous Salad Mechouia

● It is based on a pastry shell, going by the name ● Can be described as a casserole, with ● Made of tomatoes and peppers and
of malsouqa, which is made by hand and is thin lamb as the main ingredient. usually consumed during summer.
and circular shaped.
● It usually comes in form of bread and ● If the level of spice is high, it will be served
● Mostly preferred egg, parsley, and tuna as potato, with either of these used to with grilled fish or lamb.
fillings (called egg brik) thicken the dish.
● The mild version will be served with tuna
● The pastry is folded into a triangle and ● The mixture is baked in a pan before being and eggs as an appetizer.
garnished with lemon juice. served when it becomes crisp.

FESTIVE As the tradition in Tunisia, the wedding lasts one week, and every day there’s a special
occasion that may concern the bride, the groom or both of them. Years ago, the bride had to
wear 7 different outfits and jewelry but today, things are changing without losing any of their
authenticity.

DAYS

01 all women of the family prepare the bride’s trousseau and iron all her clothes.
02 women unpack all the bride’s trousseau in her new house and help her store it.

03 is totally dedicated to the bride and it’s what they call the “hammam” day.

Traditional Tunisian 04 it’s the henna ceremony
wedding: 05 the “harkous” ceremony. The same old woman decorates the bride’s body with different
beautiful designs (flowers, butterflies, etc.).
7 days and 7 nights to get married
06 the bride is finally ready for her “outia”, a traditional tunisian ceremony dedicated to the bride.

07 the bride and the groom are finally getting married during a big celebration where all the family
and friends are invited the share the couple’s happiness.

FESTIVE

The Aoussou
Carnival

● The Aoussou Carnival, which has its origins in the Phoenician civilization, is proof of this.
● Sousse is used to celebrating the Aoussou carnival, one of the biggest events of the summer season in the Sahel region in

Tunisia.
● Annual festive event which most often takes place on the eve of the start of Awussu ”every July 24, for several days in Sousse,

mainly at avenue Habib Bourguiba and the Corniche de Boujaafar.
● This carnival is a parade made up of folk troops, brass bands and rolling structures, giant puppets, dancers and generally

accompanied by a firework show during the night of July 25, the day of the festival of the Republic.

FESTIVE

International
Festival of
Sousse

The diversity of Tunisian culture and history is celebrated at the International Festival of Sousse, and for a country nestled
among the African giants of Libya and Algeria. Before gaining independence in 1956, Tunisia changed hands many times over the
course of history, with the Romans, Ottomans and the French being in charge of the country, not to mention the Galactic Empire.

In some ways, the International Sousse Festival is different from many other festivals we’ve seen so far. This popular summer
event in Tunisia designed to celebrate the cultural diversity of the world and will be held in Sousse from 14 July to 18 August.
Nevertheless, it still has similar content, plenty of local musical performances take the stage, as well as a huge carnival where
they all swim abroad.

REFERENCES

● Wikimedia Foundation. (2013, March 9). Perang Punic. Wikipedia. https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perang_Punic.
● Brandes, D. (2001). Historique de la Ville de sousse: Le Site Officiel de la Ville de sousse. Historique de la ville de Sousse | Le

site officiel de la ville de Sousse. http://www.commune-sousse.gov.tn/fr/historique-de-la-ville-de-sousse
● Greco-Punic wars (Hannibal's World). Alternative History. (n.d.).

https://althistory.fandom.com/wiki/Greco-Punic_Wars_(Hannibal%27s_World).
● Sidek, N. (2018, September 24). Sejarah Kaum Vandals YANG Menjadi asal-usul Perkataan "vandalisme". iluminasi.

https://iluminasi.com/bm/sejarah-kaum-vandals-yang-menjadi-asal-usul-perkataan-vandalisme.html.
● McLean, J. (n.d.). World civilization. Islamic Conquest of the Maghreb | World Civilization.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-worldcivilization/chapter/islamic-conquest-of-the-maghreb/.
● Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Sousse. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Sousse.
● https://www.hindawi.com/journals/bmri/2013/345415/
● https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1043661818300501
● https://www.roseraieducapbon.com/en/index.html
● https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1043661818300501

REFERENCES

● Sousse archaeological MUSEUM: Momaa: African modern online Art Gallery & LIFESTYLE SOUSSE Archaeological Museum.
MoMAA. (2020, August 26). https://momaa.org/directory/sousse-archaeological-museum/.

● 12 top-rated tourist attractions in Sousse: PlanetWare. PlanetWare.com. (n.d.).
https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/sousse-tun-so-s.htm.

● Google. (n.d.). Mediating museums. Google Books.
https://books.google.com.my/books?id=0UueDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA9&lpg=PA9&dq=sousse%2Barchaeological%2Bmuseu
m%2Bbuilding%2Bmaterial&source=bl&ots=Bm7mHcJEB1&sig=ACfU3U38vwwR0TqVSLXBEsDHl-EOsuD5yA&hl=en&sa=
X&ved=2ahUKEwiRqvK_iZDyAhVKX30KHaR7CRMQ6AEwEnoECAwQAw#v=onepage&q&f=false.

● Romeartlover. (n.d.). Sousse. Sousse - Some Tunisian Medinas. https://romeartlover.tripod.com/Sousse.html.
http://www.inp2020.tn/en/2020/04/07/_sousse/#Sousse_Architecture

● https://fr.slideshare.net/StrategieSousse/sdvs-rapport-pr-diagnostic-urbanisme-vf
● https://www.orangesmile.com/travelguide/sousse/culture--731250.htm
● Stratégie de Développement de la Ville de Sousse Suivre. (n.d.). Sdvs rapport pré diagnostic urbanisme vf. SlideShare.

https://fr.slideshare.net/StrategieSousse/sdvs-rapport-pr-diagnostic-urbanisme-vf.

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