Al-Zaytuna Mosque

Al-Zaytuna Mosque is the principal historic mosque in the medina of Tunis and has been a major centre of Islamic learning in North Africa since the early medieval period. The mosque and its associated university have played a central role in Tunisian religious and intellectual life.

Architectural elements include a large prayer hall, courtyard, and a notable minaret that anchors the mosque within the narrow streets of the medina. The complex has been expanded and rebuilt at different times over the centuries, preserving layers of architectural history.

The mosque’s origins lie in the early centuries of Islamic rule in the Maghreb and it developed an enduring reputation as a place of higher religious education and scholarship. It remains an important religious site within Tunis’s old city.

The mosque sits in the historic medina of Tunis, close to other civic and religious landmarks in the capital’s old quarter.

• Historical importance: Origins date to the early Islamic period in North Africa and the mosque has been a historic centre of learning, associated with the University of Ez-Zitouna.

What to See #

• Prayer hall: The main prayer hall and hypostyle interior that has historically been associated with the mosque's scholarly functions.
• Minaret and courtyard: The mosque's minaret and surrounding courtyard within the medina of Tunis, forming part of the historic urban fabric of the old city.