 In
which of tunisia do we find, gathered like in a handkerchief
monumental ruines and multicoloured boats, a thousand
year old mosque and pirate’s fortresse, gold and
silk-weaving, fish markets, ottoman minarets, and sailors
cafes? It is but in Mahdia.
A town built just above the water on a very small island
like place. Mahdia was first a forbidden citadel, the
first capital of the fatimi caliphs Dynastry. Afterwards,
it was ceded to cairo to becom one of the harbours of
the meditarranean perimeter, subject to many conquest
and influence. Normans of sicily, knights of Malta,
Genoese and Spanish all had left their marks. The ancient
fatimi capital lives to day on fishing visiting the
ancient town without noticing the singularity of its
past is not possible.
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Moving
straight forward, leaving the sailing harbour, the second
of the country, at the back, we find ourselves in front
of the imposing skifa Kahla “ the black gate”
within the ancient citadel. Through which we come along
a hall, oppressed by the light rocky vault. Within a
short distance lies nonchalanthy the very-meditarranean
cairo square under a roof of greenness. |
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the austere mass of the grand mosque under, built following
the fatimi architecture, so, we can appreciate the very
simple fishing settling near the rocks on a sapphir
sea; a scene which evokes Malta.
Finally, on the exremity, between the turkish fortress
and the conquests’ gate, which are the overproud
ruines founded under water, stretches the very moving
marine cimetry, where women are buried with their wedding
costumes made of silk and silver.
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