The minaret
Decorated tiers.
IssamBarhoumi — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Noomen9 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Noomen9 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Youssefbensaad — CC BY-SA 4.0
The most important mosque of the old city of Sfax, built around the middle of the ninth century under the Aghlabids, at the same time as the city and its walls. It stands at the exact centre of the medina, so the town's plan resembles that of Kufa, one of the first Islamic cities. From the start the mosque was the religious and urban heart of the city, surrounded by its main souks and workshops, and it still is. It was substantially altered in later periods, including the Zirid and Ottoman eras. It is known for its square minaret with decorated tiers, which recalls the minaret of Kairouan, and for its unusually decorated eastern facade, with arches and carved stone ornament facing the souk. Muslims pray here at prayer times, while non-Muslims usually admire the minaret and the eastern facade from the surrounding lanes. It is a natural stop on any walk through the medina.
Decorated tiers.
Carved stonework.
The heart of the city.
Centre of the medina, Sfax
It is a working mosque; non-Muslims usually admire its minaret and facade from outside.
