Welcome to Diar El Bahr

Most beautiful Tunisia seaside spreads from Ksour Essaf to Chebba. In this axis heart, beaches of fine sand and a crystal sea make Mahdia one of highest Tunisia tourist places although this sea-port town has fortunately well succeeded in preserving its authenticity.

Skifa el Kahla : The Dark Porch

Mahdia visitors might choose Skifa el-Kahla, the famous Dark Porch built by Ubayd Allah, to enter the old city (Medina) and to be lost walking over the splendid paved lanes. Single vestige of 10,8 meters wall in which hated Mahdi had locked up its capital, this imposing fortification drawn up above Bab Zouila suburb constitutes a beautiful example of Xth century military architecture.
Friday, weekly market day, Skifa El Kahla is transformed into a true Ali Baba's cave with its gold and textiles market ("souk"). The bright colors of women traditional silk suits embroidered of gold thread are there to prove that these toilets constitutes the richest of Tunisia.

Mahdia Regional museum

Not far from there, Mahdia Regional Museum has replaced the old Traditional silk weaving Museum which pointed out an old tradition of silk spinning mill and weaving in which Mahdia was made specialist. It exposes today objects of Roman, Punic and Fatimide eras.

The Large Mosque

Some additional steps will take along the visitor opposite the Large Mosque, faithful reproduction of the sanctuary set up by the former Fatimide Caliph. Its majestic gate points out time when this last was reserved to the sovereign, his court and its "Kotama" guards while the Faithful used to enter by the side gates. Prayers room, as for it, is inspired by Kairouan Large Mosque.

In its interior court Zirides massacred their co-religionists Shiites in 1016, which made them incur the Fatimide Caliph anger and was at the origin of Hilalian invasion. This same court was transformed into a Spanish cemetery by Charles-Quint who used the mosque as improvised church and explode it when he left the places in 1554.

Built on a space gained on the sea, the large Mosque used to have two common walls with the ramparts. Already mined by the undertow in XIth century, the mosque is partly rebuilt under Zirides specially its mihrab with grooved alcoves, the court's northern gantry, the prayer room, the cupola, and the arched alley which crossed the court.

Mended periodically, it ends up collapsing in the Fifties to be rebuilt in the Sixties.

Borj El Othmani

Last but not least, the visitor will rest at the foot of Borj El Kebir (also called Borj El Othmani), facing the lighthouse and the sea, not without having visited this monument, a true fortress built at Cape Africa point (also called Borj Erras). Dominating the marine cemetery which extends itself until the end of Cape Africa, this imposing fortress was set up by the Turks at the end of XVIth Century. The powerful bastions located at the angles, as for them, were built during XVIIIth Century.

The strategic entrance in zigzag of this old French prison contains old photographs and capitals. A crossbow and a tiger caricature are carved in its frontage.

Above the interior gate an inscription states that " This blessed fort was completed with the God assistance thanks to His servant Abou Abdallah Mohammed Pasha efforts - God grants the triumph to him - 6.9.1595 ".

It's in its court that are held "Mahdia Nights" (Sounds and lights) each summer.

Marine cemetery

From this sight, visitors will contemplate Mahdia famous cemetery and will feel its incredible serenity and moving charm.

"Mahdia magic cemetery extends from a seashore to the other of the headland its immaculate whiteness. With the sharp yellow of its daisies fields in spring, the deep silhouettes of the ramparts which surround it, this marine cemetery gets, like nowhere else, an appeasing, a spiritual relaxation".
(Dr. Fantar)

Craftsman House

An authentic construction gathering craftsmen for demonstrations of their art. The objects are exposed for glance pleasure and sale...

Walk in the city

The visitor will also see various kinds of fishing vessels (boats, trawlers, dinghy, etc.) entering the port in a picturesque din.

To recover from your "trip", nothing is better than a stop at the Cave coffee where waves come to strike tables scattered in its stages perched against the rock, facing the road which goes down towards the port.

Two old Arab style houses are also opened to visitors: Dar Zmen, which exposes and sells antiquity and Dar Sghir.

At the end of the afternoon, it is also pleasant to climb in the small tourist train which circulates between the hotels and the city.

At night, latecomers will see women walking in the city going to the marriages ceremonies which rhythm the summer. Majestically dressed and made up, they carry the superb tunics of Mahdia. Around their neck and wrists, heavy collars and bracelets made of gold showing their social status.