Tunis, Tunisia
Mosque in Tunisia
The Youssef Dey Mosque, also called Sidi Youssef or al-B'chamqiya, in the upper medina of Tunis near the Kasbah and the Turkish souq, was the first Ottoman mosque built in Tunis and the city's first Hanafi Friday mosque after the Ottoman conquest. It began as a neighbourhood mosque in 1612 under Youssef Dey, who made it a Friday mosque in 1631, the eleventh in the capital; Hanafi law was taught here, and it holds its founder's tomb. The prayer hall is framed by courtyards on three sides, with a portico along the north façade. It keeps the classic hypostyle plan of nine aisles and seven bays, its arches resting on columns of varied origin with Hafsid-style capitals, some of them ancient; a dome on an octagonal base rises before the mihrab, beside a masonry minbar faced with coloured marble. Its most admired features are the slender octagonal Ottoman-style minaret and the founder's white marble mausoleum. It was extensively restored in the late 19th century on the orders of Ali Bey and since 1926 has been an annex of the University of Ez-Zitouna. Each Ramadan it hosts the traditional completion of the reading of Sahih al-Bukhari.
It is a place of worship: modest dress and visits outside prayer times; entry may be limited to worshippers, so admire the octagonal minaret and façade from the lane. A few minutes is enough from outside. It lies between the Zitouna Mosque and the Kasbah, so include it in a walk through the upper souqs.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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MosqueTunis, Tunisia
