Kairouan
@samir.fannan
Kairouan sits on the flat plains a good hour inland from the coast. It was founded around 670 and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.
The Great Mosque
The city was founded by the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi. The Great Mosque is named after him, and most of what you see today dates from the 9th century. Its minaret is one of the oldest surviving minarets in the Islamic world.
Non-Muslims may visit the courtyard, but not the prayer hall.
The Aghlabid Basins
On the edge of the old town are two round water basins from the 9th century. An aqueduct fed them, so the city had enough water even in the dry months.
Carpets and makroud
Carpets have been knotted and sold in the souks of the medina for generations.
Kairouan is also home to makroud, a semolina pastry filled with dates. It's fried in oil and then dipped in syrup. It tastes best fresh.