Al-Zaytuna Mosque

The Ez- Zitouna Mosque ( Arabic: جامع الزيتونة Ǧāmi ʿ az- Zaitūna or the Djamaa ez Zitouna " mosque olive tree ", also known as the " Great Mosque " ) is the principal mosque of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia.

After Sidi Oqba Mosque in Kairouan, the Ez- Zitouna Mosque is the largest and most important mosques in Tunisia. It lies in the center of the medina (old city) of Tunis. The Aghlabids they built 856 on a small predecessor of the 8th century, but it was later rebuilt several times and expanded. Thus comes about the minaret from the 19th century.

Between the 13th and 15th centuries, the mosque was converted into a high school complex. In addition to the al -Azhar of Cairo and the Kairaouine of Fez it was considered one of the most important centers of learning of Islam. Her most famous pupil was the geographer Ibn Battuta. Only after the establishment of the new University of Tunis in 1960, the Ez- Zitouna mosque lost its importance as an educational institution.

The mosque consists of a 15 - aisled prayer hall, a vice inner courtyard and a square minaret. For non-Muslims only a small portion of the courtyard is accessible.