Publication Date
This archaeological landmark was built during the second half of the AH 8th century / AD 14th century, and during the AH 11th century / AD 17th century it was the subject of many modifications and updates.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Record ID
monument;ISL;tn;Mon01;24;ar
Library Location
Kairouan, Tunisia
Date
This archaeological landmark was built during the second half of the AH 8th century / AD 14th century, and during the AH 11th century / AD 17th century it was the subject of many modifications and updates.
Notes
The parameter chart is irregular; It consists of a ground floor and a first floor, organized around three open inner courtyards. It appears that the building has been subjected to expansion works that are difficult to redraw and identify today. The building is entered through a rectangular opening that leads to a winding vestibule, covered by a tiered wooden ceiling decorated with geometric and floral shapes plastered in the style of Spanish-Moroccan art. This vestibule leads to the main courtyard, which is characterized by a marble floor, adorned with intricate geometric decoration dating back to the 11th century AH / 17th century AD. Surrounding this courtyard are corridors with decorated facades, covered with tiles of clay, richly decorated topped with other panels of carved plaster and striped with geometric and floral motifs, in addition to epigraphic decorations executed in the style of the Hadidah inscription (or engraving on plaster). The south-eastern corridor leads to a prayer hall, protected by a wooden gate consisting of two leaves, furnished with decorations dating back to the two centuries. 12 and 13 AH / 18 and 19 AD. The plan of the prayer hall is approximately rectangular in shape, and is divided into three bays and three naves parallel to the qibla wall. The latter contains a mihrab, the upper part of which consists of a small veiled niche defined by a pointed arch composed of alternating sections of black and white marble known as ablaq. The qubiba rests on two small columns in the two side corners, surmounted by two Hafsian capitals. The northeastern corridor includes the door leading to the shrine, where the walls are covered with slabs of clay and others of gypsum. The shrine is covered by a tiered ceiling, made of painted wood, decorated with drawings reminiscent of Moroccan ceiling decorations dating back to the Alawite era. The external shape of this roof, which covers the tombs of Sidi Abed and the Hafsid king Moulay Hassan, takes a pyramidal shape and is covered with green tiles. The main open courtyard leads to two courtyards of different sizes. They appear to have been added at a later stage during the expansion of the parameter. The large open courtyard, located in the eastern corner, is surrounded by four porticoes composed of pointed arches resting on columns crowned with Byzantine ministerial capitals, some of which may have been brought from the site of Sabra. The upper floor is accessed through a staircase with an entrance opening at the level of the southwestern wall. The floor consists of four corridors overlooking the open courtyard through carved wooden lintels decorated with small recessed shapes supported by wooden columns with Hafsid capitals and obtuse-section wooden columns. These paneled and plain corridors lead to a group of rooms that have been completely renovated after being previously used as student rooms.
Sample Text
Saloua Zangar “Madrassa and Zawiyah of Sidi Abed Al-Gharyani” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;tn;Mon01;24;ar
