Houmt Souk

Houmt Souk (Arabic حومة السوق, DMG humate as- Sūq ) is a town in southeastern Tunisia, and capital of the island of Djerba. With approximately 65,000 inhabitants it is one of the largest cities in the region.

The place has a long tradition of trade, of which several old caravanserais testify. The Romans had a settlement here, whose name has been handed down as Gerra. During late antiquity the place was called Girba. This then new name was passed on to the island by then known under the name meninx. Until the Islamic expansion existed a Roman Catholic diocese on Girba.

Today Houmt Souk is determined primarily by tourism. In the city there are many tourist shops, the administration of the island, a small fishing port and fortress Bordj -el- Kebir and the Folklore Museum.