Tunisia｜The Land of Carpets - The Holy City of Kairouan

🇹🇳Driving 155 kilometers from the capital of Tunisia, the third stop is the fourth largest city, Kairouan. 🛕The ancient capital of Tunisia, Kairouan, is located in the central and eastern part of Tunisia. It was built in 670 and the Aghlabid Dynasty established its capital here from 800 to 909. Since then, it has become famous and one of the four holy places of Islam. In 1988, it was listed as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, known for its unique architectural style and long history. 🏰There are more than 80 mosques, over 100 tombs, dozens of reservoirs and domed indoor markets in the ancient city. Famous buildings include the Great Mosque of Kairouan, the 'Three Gates' Mosque and the Great Reservoir of Aghlabid. Tunisian Muslims believe that making a pilgrimage to Kairouan seven times is equivalent to making a pilgrimage to Mecca once. 🕌The Great Mosque of Kairouan, built in 670 AD, is the first and largest mosque established by Islam in North Africa. It is one of the four major mosques in the world, along with Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem, attracting countless believers to visit every year. Its appearance is like a huge castle, with a unique and exquisite architectural style and layout. The courtyard is paved with marble, surrounded on three sides by a long arcade supported by 300 stone columns. The connected arcades, rows of stone columns and towering minarets are spectacular and are classic works of Arab architecture and Islamic culture and art. The minaret in the northwest of the mosque is 35 meters high and is the tallest building in the entire ancient city of Kairouan. Standing tens of kilometers away, you can see the towering minaret, which has become one of the iconic buildings of Kairouan. 🚶‍♀️In addition to the long-standing historical buildings, the ancient city also has a strong market atmosphere. There are numerous shops and stalls on the streets, with a wide variety of goods and the sound of selling everywhere, presenting a charming Arabic market style. 🏵️Among them, the most eye-catching are the beautifully made carpets and exquisitely crafted handicrafts. Some friends bought traditional costumes, some bought characteristic jewelry, which are cheap but of good quality. The carpet weaving industry in Tunisia originated in Kairouan, so Kairouan is also known as 'The Land of Carpets'.