Tunis [ tu ː nis, French ty nis], the capital of Tunisia and Governorats Tunis, near the Mediterranean Sea, 58 meters above sea level, on the inland side of the shallow lagoon lake El-Bahira on the Gulf of Tunis, (2014) 638 900 residents in the urban area, more than 2 million residents in the metropolitan area (around 1 ⁄ 5 of the country’s population).
Tunis is the political, economic and cultural center of Tunisia; Catholic bishopric (since 1995; 1884–1964 Catholic archbishopric); several universities, technical colleges (e.g. for administration, economics, aviation, postal and telecommunications), German cultural institute, international and national research institutes (e.g. Institut Pasteur), national library, national archive, national museum (in Bardo ) and other museums, national oceanographic institute (im Suburb of Salammbo); State theater; Congress Palace; Zoological Garden; Light rail network 45 km long, international airport Tunis-Carthage (Carthage) 6 km north. The passenger port of Tunis (including car ferries to Marseille, Genoa, Naples, Palermo) is with the outer port of La Goulette Connected by a 10 km long sea canal and earth dam (motorway, express train). Greater Tunis is home to more than two thirds of all major industrial operations in the country. a. the food, clothing, chemical (superphosphate), metallurgical (including lead smelting, steel, gray cast iron, metal processing), electrotechnical and energy-producing industries; Printers and publishers. An international fair takes place every two years.
Cityscape
Between the lagoon in the east and the Sebkha Sedjoumi in the southwest lie the old town (Medina; 1,500 m × 800 m), which has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and which has been redeveloping, restoring and redeveloping since 1974 under the direction of the Association for the Rescue of the Medina (ASMA) is modernized, and the new town adjoining to the east (former French colonial town; today city function) with the passenger port, therefore the modern city expansion to the north (Ariana), north-west (Ettadhamen) and south-east (Ben Arous, Radès); the northern coastline from La Goulette to Gammarth has developed into a seaside resort zone (high-speed train to the city center). In the medina is the Great Mosque Djama es-Situna, a religious center founded in 732 (completed by the Aghlabids in 864, changed under the Hafsiden and in Ottoman times by Spanish-Moorish builders, restored 1962–64) with 15-aisled prayer room (antique columns) and mihrab facade; its minaret was restored in 1653 and raised to 44 m in 1834. The mosque el-Ksar (founded in 1106) has a minaret (1647, renewed 1978/79) decorated in the Spanish-Moorish style. The mosque of the former Kasba (1231–35; restored 1963/64) has a minaret in the Almohad style. The seven-aisled mosque Hammouda Pascha (around 1665) has three inner courtyards and a richly decorated mausoleum (1655). In the complex of the Sidi Jusuf mosque (1616) with medrese (1622) the Hafsidic style dominates. The Sidi Mahres mosque (around 1675) received a new tomb of the city saint in 1862 (he lived in the 10th century). The Medrese es-Slimanija (1740–50) is a masterpiece of Spanish-Moorish architecture. The mausoleum complex of the Husainid dynasty, Tourbet el-Bey (1758–82), shows the influence of the Italian Renaissance on the outside, the inside is based on the mosques of Istanbul; Sidi Ben Arous Mausoleum (1491; altered in 1654; stucco decoration from the 15th century) with slender minaret in Syrian style with a wraparound balcony. The Dar Husain Palace (18th / 19th century) houses the National Institute for Archeology and Art. The Dar Othman palace (17th century) in Hafsid style shows Hispanic-Moorish interior decor. The Bab Djedid gate (1276) is also Hafsid. The Zawija Sidi Bou-Khrissane (late 11th century) is a four-pillar dome building. In the New Town are the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Cathedral (1882) and the State Theater, in the Belvedere Park, the Museum of Modern Art; the Moorish pavilion »Koubba« (17th century) was moved here in 1901 from La Manouba Park.
History
The trading place, originally founded by Berbers, soon came under Punic rule (called Tynes ), but remained of little importance next to the flourishing Carthage and was often quarters for the besiegers of Carthage. 146 BC With this it was destroyed by the Romans, rebuilt under Emperor Augustus as Thuni (later Tunes ) and in the 3rd century it was a bishopric. It only became important in the Arab period (from 670) as the capital of the Aghlabids, the Almohads and especially the Hafsids, among which Tunis, v. a. developed into the scientific and cultural center of North Africa through the settlement of Spanish Muslims; Ibn Khaldun was born here in 1332. In the 16th century, Tunis was fought over between the Spaniards and the Ottomans, the latter finally conquered it in 1574 ( Tunisia, history). Under the French protectorate (1881–1956) Tunis experienced strong growth and expansion. In 1942/43 Allied air raids against the German-Italian occupation forces caused severe damage. 1979–90 Tunis was the seat of the Arab League.
City Profile
- Abbreviation: TUN
- Country: Tunisia
List of Tunis Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations for Tunis is TUN which stands for Tunis. In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to Tunis, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.
