Sousse

The Medina of Sousse is an exceptionally well-preserved 9th-century fortified Islamic city in Tunisia, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. During the Aghlabid period, Sousse served as a critical commercial and military port. Its architecture perfectly demonstrates the robust, coastal defense system developed during the early centuries of Islam. The old town contains several heavily fortified structures reflecting early Islamic military engineering. With its kasbah, ramparts, medina with the Great Mosque, Bu Ftata Mosque and typical ribat, Sousse was part of a coastal defence system.

Unesco: Medina of Sousse
Tag: Unesco offer tag
Date: April 13

Djerba

This serial property is a testimony to a settlement pattern that developed on the island of Djerba around the 9th century CE amidst the semi-dry and water-scarce environment. Low‑density was its key characteristic: it involved the division of the island into neighbourhoods, clustered together, that were economically self-sustainable, connected to each other and to the religious and trading places of the island, through a complex network of roads. Resulting from a mixture of environmental, socio-cultural and economic factors, the distinctive human settlement of Djerba demonstrates the way local people adapted their lifestyle to the conditions of their water-scarce natural environment.

Unesco: Djerba: Testimony to a settlement pattern in an island territory
Thank you Veerle! 
Date: April 13

Greetings from... Tunisia

Greetings from... Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in North Africa known for its rich history, diverse culture, and Mediterranean coastline. The capital and largest city is Tunis. Situated in the Maghreb region of North Africa, Tunisia borders Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east.

Thank you Matthias!
Date: Oct 10

Carthage

Founded by the Phoenicians, Carthage is an extensive archaeological site, located on a hill dominating the Gulf of Tunis and the surrounding plain. Metropolis of Punic civilization in Africa and capital of the province of Africa in Roman times, Carthage has played a central role in Antiquity as a great commercial empire. During the lengthy Punic wars, Carthage occupied the territories that belonged to Rome, which then destroyed its rival in 146 AD. The town was rebuilt by the Romans on the ruins of the ancient city. The property comprises the vestiges of Punic, Roman, Vandal, Paleochristian and Arab presence. The major known components of the site of Carthage are the acropolis of Byrsa, the Punic ports, the Punic tophet, the necropolises, theatre, amphitheatre, circus, residential area, basilicas, the Antonin baths, Malaga cisterns and the archaeological reserve.

Unesco: Archaeological Site of Carthage
Tag: Unesco offer tag
Date: April 10

Amphitheatre of El Jem

The impressive ruins of the largest colosseum in North Africa, a huge amphitheatre which could hold up to 35,000 spectators, are found in the small village of El Jem. This 3rd-century monument illustrates the grandeur and extent of Imperial Rome. Located in a plain in the centre of Tunisia, this amphitheatre is built entirely of stone blocks, with no foundations and free-standing. In this respect it is modelled on the Coliseum of Rome without being an exact copy of the Flavian construction.

Unesco: Amphitheatre of El Jem
Thanks a lot Tom!
Date: July 31

Flags of the World - Tunisia

The red color on the flag symbolizes Islam, which is the predominant religion in Tunisia. Red also represents resistance against Turkish dominance and the blood shed by martyrs killed in 1881 when Tunisia was conquered by France. The red crescent is a traditional indication of Islam and also serves as a sign of good luck in Arabic culture, as well as representing the unity of all Muslims. The white color symbolizes peace, whereas the white disk represents the sun. The star, like the crescent, is an ancient symbol of the Islamic religion, and the star’s five points symbolize the Five Pillars of Islam: faith, prayer, charity, fasting, and the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

Thanks a lot Benaissa!
Date: Nov 15

Matmata

My first card from Tunisia! Matmata, a small Berber speaking town in southern Tunisia.
Some of the local Berber residents live in traditional underground "troglodyte" structures. The structures typical for the village are created by digging a large pit in the ground. Around the perimeter of this pit artificial caves are then dug to be used as rooms, with some homes comprising multiple pits, connected by trench-like passageways.

Thanks a lot for this interesting swap Ouni!
Swap: Nov 12