Kairouan-Oqba Grand Mosque

Oqba Grand Mosque
The Great Mosque of Kairouan dates back to 670 CE and was built by the command of Arab Muslim general Oqba bin Nafi. Although it has been destroyed a couple of times, then rebuilt, today's structure rests much upon the original mosque.

The most extensive destruction came few years after the original construction, in 688 when it was destroyed in a rebellion. The present layout was created in the 9th century, but it is hard to establish which parts date back to this date. The base of the minaret is though to be some 100 years older than this.

Still, the columns of the prayer hall are even older, having been taken from Roman and Byzantine structures in Carthage and Hadrumetum (Sousse).



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Zaouia of Sidi Sahab

This zawiyya is claimed to house the tomb of one of the prophet's companions, a sahab, named Abu Zama al-Belaoui. It is also called Mosque of the Barber, as he was known for always carrying with him 3 hairs of Muhammad.
It is quite a strange structure, you really never get a realistic impression of its dimensions. From the outside it really looks huge, from the inside you will start looking for that large room or courtyard, but all you find are small rooms and courtyards.

The most sacred is the grave of Sidi Sahab, which cannot be entered by non-Muslims. But really, what you see from the outside is more than enough, the doors are wide open.