Publication Date
Dar Othman, commonly known as Dar al-Ula, was used since the mid-13th century AH / 19th century AD to store supplies for soldiers living in the nearby barracks.
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Record ID
monument;ISL;tn;Mon01;30;ar
Library Location
Tunisia, Medina, Tunisia
Date
Dar Othman, commonly known as Dar al-Ula, was used since the mid-13th century AH / 19th century AD to store supplies for soldiers living in the nearby barracks.
Notes
The palace's luxurious facade was devoted to the entry door and its frame, and several architectural and decorative elements were used in their construction. Black and white marble express influences coming from the countries of the Levant, especially from Egypt. The colonnade is crowned with a wooden trellis composed of three horizontal bridges. Above the door are two stone lintels, separated by a curved, pointed arch, the vertebrae of which is made up of black and white marble stones. The façade is supported on both sides by two marble columns, each of which carries an Andalusian-style crown. In the upper part, there are two columns, each surmounted by a Hafsid capital. The outer door overlooks a square-shaped vestibule paved with kadhaal stone, the walls of which are surrounded by stone benches, thus allowing the master of the house to receive visitors. Italian influences are evident in the ceiling composed of horizontal wooden beams arranged from the bottom to the top, while the plasterwork decorated with geometric and floral motifs highlights the Andalusian influence. It is usual for the courtyard to be surrounded The interior of the luxurious floors has four colonnaded porticoes, but Dar Othman has only two, a feature found in other residences in the center of Tunis. Identical halls overlook the four facades of the inner courtyard, and in the corner of each door there is a small hall, according to a common model in other residences in the city. The ceiling of the hall located to the left, when coming from the entrance, consists of a semi-cylindrical vault ending in a perpendicular vault, which appears to have connected the residence to the services department. And perhaps the stable and storerooms. Most of the walls are covered with squares of decorated clay, which consist of a variety of types, numbering up to twenty-two types. It is likely that this paneling was an addition made during the 13th century AH / 19th century AD, during the work undertaken by Hussein bin Mahmudbay. The four main halls are similar, and are arranged in the form of a rectangle, preceded by a space that occupies a space in front of the door that serves as a reception hall and two waiting rooms. The houses of the city remained committed to this style of architectural organization that had spread in the country since the arrival of the Muslims. Dar Othman combines the richness of Hafsid art with its Andalusian and Levantine imprints with the new artistic architectural elements brought by the Turks and Italians.
Sample Text
Mohamed Béji Ben Mami “Dar Othman” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;tn;Mon01;30;ar
