Description of the attraction
The main attraction of Kairouan is the Uqba Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in the Islamic world. It was founded by the founder of the city of Kairouan, a military leader who was familiar with the Prophet Muhammad - Uqba ibn Nafi. This happened in 688. The Berbers, on whose lands the Muslim army led by Ibn Nafi came, destroyed the Great Mosque, but in its place just a few years later a new, more majestic building appeared, which we can see now. The order to restore the mosque was given by the follower of Uqba ibn Nafi Hasan bin Noman. Over the past centuries, the Ukba Mosque has been reconstructed and altered many times. Non-Muslim foreigners can only visit the inner courtyard of the mosque, framed by an arched gallery. The yard is paved with white slabs. Several holes can be seen in the marble covering through which rainwater enters underground reservoirs.
The prayer hall is supported by hundreds of columns that are older than the mosque itself, for they were taken from the temples of Carthage and Gadrumet. There is a belief that the columns in the mosque cannot be counted, because one can go blind after that. Other connoisseurs of local legends assure that, on the contrary, the lucky one who can calculate how many columns in the mosque will be able to free himself from all sins. The Mihrab, the niche that Muslims turn to when praying, is decorated with faience plates dating from the 9th century.
The imposing ensemble of the Ukba Mosque is crowned with a 35-meter high minaret. It has three parts and is square in shape.
