Page 159 - DK Eyewitness Travel Guides - The World's Must-See Places

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The richly decorated mosque contains
some rare examples of ceramic
decorative features. Plant motifs and
geometric forms are popular. IIII£DIT£RRAfi!£Afl!
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~ Cloisters
ALGERIA LIBYA

Prayer Hall A
UQBA IBN NAFI AND KAIROUAN
~ Dome
The exterior of the mosque's dome At the time of the Prophet Mohammed's death
shows the position of the 9th-century in 632, Muslims only ruled Arabia. However, by
tiled mihrab (a niche that indicates the 750, the Arab Muslims had achieved one of
direction of Mecca).
the most spectacular conquests in history, ruling
over the Middle East, Central Asia, and North
Africa.ln 670, the Muslim leader Uqba ibn Nafi
crossed the desert from Egypt as part of the
conquest of North Africa. Establishing military
posts along the way, he stopped to camp at
the location of modern-day Kairouan. Legend
tells of a golden cup being discovered in the
sand, vvhi ch was recognized as one that had
disappeared from Mecca several years previously.
When the cup was picked up, a spring emerged
from the ground which, it was declared, was
sup pi ied by the same source as that of the holy
Zem-Zem well in Mecca. Uqba founded his
capital and swept on to conquer Morocco.

ISLAM'S FOURTH HOLIEST CITY
Kairouan grew in importance to become the
Minbar capital of the Aghl abi d dynasty in the 9th
The minbar, or pulpit, century. When the Fatimids took power in 909,
is made out of teak. I twas
commissioned by the they moved their capital el sevvhere. By the 11th
Aghlabid emir, Abu Ibrahim, century, Kairouan' s political and economic
and built in around 863. power had been surpassed by other cities, but
it never lost its holy status. As a religious center
it continued to grow in prominence, with the
~ Entran<e to
the mosque mosque proving a powerful magnet for pilgrims
from Muslim territories throughout northern and
Saharan Africa. Today, Kairouan is Islam's fourth
holiest city. Pilgrims come to drink the waters of
~ Prayer Hall KAIROUAN CARPETS the holy spring and to visit the Great Mosque.
This hall is divided into
17 long naves divided by Kairouan is a carpet-making center,
arcades. The two wider a tradition going back hundreds of INSIDE THE PRAYER HALL
naves form a 'T' shape. years, and it is renowned for the Entrance to the prayer hall at the southern end
quality of its rugs. However, the large of the courtyard is through a set of beautiful,
rug in the Great Mosque's prayer hall finely carved wooden doors dating from the
was a gift from Saudi Arabia. 19th century. Inside is a rectangular, domed
chamber with arched aisles. The imam leads
the prayers from the minbar, a marvelous
pulpit sculpted out of wood from Baghdad and
KEY DATES
thought to be one of the oldest in the Arab
670 836 Mid-800s 1988 world. Behind the mihrab (dome) at the end
lhe city of Kairouan is The Great Mosque is The Great Mosque Kairouan is declared of the central aisle are 9th-century tiles, also
founded by Uqba ibn renovated and enlarged becomes a site for a UNESCO World from Baghdad, surrounding carved marble
Nafi, who constructs a under the Aghlabids and Islamic pilgrimage. Heritage Site. panels. A carved wooden screen, the maqsura,
small mosque. takes the appearance of
the building seen todaj. dating from the 11th century, stands nearby and
many Kairouan carpets cover the floor.