The medina and the historic sites

Of the many centres of interest that Sousse has to offer, the Medina is by far the most important. Perfectly preserved within its ramparts, it is home to monuments of major importance :

- The Khalef Al Fata Tower which dominates the casbah is a "manar" (lighthouse) built in 859 AD. It is 30 meters high, and from the top visitors can admire the panoramic view over the entire city and its hinterland.
- The Ribat is a fortress dating from the Almoravide period (eighth century) which was part of a chain of similar coastal buidings whose job it was to defend the country from invaders. The Aghlabid Emir Ziyadet Allah added the look-out tower in 821 AD. The Ribat wass restored to its original appearance in 1968.
- The Great Mosque was built by the Aghlabid Emir Abou El Abbès Mohamed in 850 AD. Its rough stone walls crowned with merlons and with large round towers at the corners make it look like a fortress.
- The souks, the traditional meeting and shopping places, give visitors the chance to learn the art of haggling, a good excuse for making contacts and striking up friendships with the local people.
- The Museum, near the Khalef Tower, contains an important collection of mosaics, mostly from El Djem. Not far from the Medina, the Catacombs, a five-kilometre site containing 240 burial galleries which are more well preserved than those in Rome, add to the city's historic treasures.