YOUSSEF DEY MOSQUE

Rue Sidi Ben Ziad

At the beginning of the 17th century the Turks, having entrenched their political position, now wanted their own Hanafite mosque. Youssef Dey (1610-1637) built it in 1616.
This prince, who succeeded Othman Dey, inherited an organized and prosperous country and his thirty-year reign saw considerable architectural and urban development. The mosque which bears his name is at the heart of the Turkish souk system which he built : Souk El Trouk (Turkish tailors), sous El Birka (slave market) and Souk El Bechamkia ("Bishmak" makers : Turkish slippers).
This mosque called Turkish craftsmen to prayer ; the columns and capitals in its pillared prayer chamber are from various sources but predominantly Hafsid, the groined vaults and cupolas in front of the Mihrab were common roofing sytems. The particularities of this mosque are the replacement of the wooden "minbar" (pulpit) with a stone one, the presence of a "sedda" or high dais for the "khoujas', or Koran readers, by the shape of the minaret and the addition of the founder's tomb in its courtyard. These last two elements border Sidi Ben Ziad street and are agreeable addition to the Medina.
At the north-west corner of the mosque rises the minaret, ser on a square base. This was the first octagonal minaret in Tunis and was the inspiration for all later Turkish mosque minarets. The octagonal tower is topped by a circular balcony from the weather by a wooden awning, calls the faithful to prayer.
The edifice is topped by a tiled turret.
The mausoleum was the first funeral mosque in Tunis, where the founder's tomb is associated with the holy place. It holds the tomb of Youssef Dey and those of his family. It is rightly considered to be a masterpiece. It is square in shape, with a big central arcature on each side, flanked by two-tiered flatbacked alcoves. The corner columns set on both levels lighten the structure.