Kairouan (القيروان) by locals also known as Kirwan, Al Qayrawan, is the capital city of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia. The city has been founded by the Arabs in the year 670. After its establishment, the city became an important center for Islamic and Quranic studies, which attracted a large number of Muslims from all over the globe, next to Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem. Kairouan was the Islamic Cultural Capital of the year 2009. As of latest measurement the city has a population of 175 thousand people.
The city of Kairouan offers history and culture, especially on the subject Islam. It’s reputed among Muslims that seven visits to the city, stands even to one in Mecca. The mosques and history has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city can be easily reached from domestic destinations within Tunisian by bus, car or private taxi. City center can be easily explored on foot, where loud noise, many people and markets rule the street sight. Especially when coming closer to the main mosque, The Medina.
You might wonder what kind of sightseeing Kairouan has to offer. The main sightseeing include mosques which are The Great Mosque, The Mosque of the Three Doors, Medressas, Bi’r Barouta which is a holy Well directed linked to the ZamZam Well in Mecca. When the excitement of sightseeing or the streets gets too much, find your way to the Main Gate of the city center to find several traditional Tea Houses in order to enjoy a cup of tea in combination with a Kairouan cuisine specialty called “makrouhd” which is a tasty sticky pastry. If you’re in need of an carpet, Kairouan is the city to buy one. It’s worldwide famous for carpets as many shops are spread out over the city. The carpet price are graded by their fineness, Silk carpets are the most expensive one.
To visit Tunisia, you need a passport valid for at least six months and a ticket proving that you are moving on to your next destination or that you are returning to your home country after a certain period. If you are from the United States, you do not need a visa to stay in Tunisia for up to four months.