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Sights and Culture in Sousse

Visit Sousse and discover the surroundings enjoying the cultural wealth of the Sahel region with its beautiful medinas and its archaeological sites.

Sousse Medina & Ribat

Delve deep into theTunisian culture by visiting the traditional assets of Sousse: the old city(Medina) and the Ribat from where the view of the city is wonderful. The Medina of Sousse is surrounded by thick, 8-metre-high fortified walls which were built over the remnants of the original Byzantine fortifications. Inside the Medina is a wealth of sights to discover, among which is the Great Mosque. The Ribat (fortress) from the 8th century offers a breathtaking view of the city. Even for those who do not like historical landmarks, just strolling around the colourful streets of the Medina makes for a great visit during your time in Sousse.

Archaeological Sousse

Make the most of your stay and delve into the vast history of the region. Visit the Archaeological Museum and the Catacombs to discover the Punic and Roman remains of the city. In addition to being one of Tunisia's major resort cities, Sousse is also a great place for archaeology fans to stay. Formerly known as Hadrumetum, Sousse boasts an archaeology museum and catacombs from the Roman era. The museum houses an interesting collection of mosaics and funerary furnishings from the Punic and Roman eras. The catacombs were dug by Christians to bury their dead in dire times of Roman persecution. Over 5 kilometres of galleries were dug, housing over 15,000 graves.

El Jem

An amphitheatre exceptionally well-preserved from the Roman Era and an archaeological museum displaying Roman mosaics. A real must-see is undoubtedly the Roman Amphitheatre at El Jem, a mere one-hour drive from the Mövenpick Resort & Marine Spa Sousse. El Jem is the ancient Roman city of Thysdrus. Like many other Roman cities, it was built on ancient Punic sites. Thysdrus was a major market town and stopover for trade routes from the South. Nowadays, El Jem is a quiet town and no monument tells of its glorious past like the Amphitheatre, which is undoubtedly the landmark site in this city. Interesting sites include the amphitheatre with a capacity of 30,000 which is a UNESCO World Heritage sites since 1979. Close to the amphitheatre, you will find a small, yet interesting archaeological museum. It showcases a collection of various mosaics from ancient Roman villas in the region.

Kairouan

Discover thisincredible city which all Tunisians are proud of for its spirituality and its holiness. Lying just one hour away from Sousse, Kairouan is Tunisia's spiritual capital. It is considered as the fourth holiest city in Islam after Mecca, Al Madina and Al Quds (Jerusalem). Kairouan was elected Islamic Cultural Capital of the World for 2009. Under the rule of the Aghlabids, Kairouan was embellished and turned into a real city. It was modern, with a university as the centre of education in which both Islamic thought and secular sciences were taught. Many landmarks and monuments remain from this Golden Age. The Great Mosque of Uqba is certainly the most famous of all. Due to its fortress-like outer walls, it is somewhat different from modern mosques. Other places to visit are the Sidi Sahab Mausoleum, housing the tomb of one of Prophet Muhammad's companions, as well as the Aghlabid basins. These delivered water to the city. Whoever visits Kairouan should also bear in mind that it is also a major carpet production centre and probably the place to look for and find the rare piece of work that could fit perfectly in the living room.

Discover Sousse

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