Kairouan (Kairwan, Al Qayrawan) is a city in Tunisia, about 160 kilometres south of Tunis. Its name means "Little Cairo." In 2003 the city had about 150,000 inhabitants. Although technically in Giza, The Great Pyramids have become a symbol of Cairo internationally Cairo (Arabic: القاهرة; transliterated: al-Qāhirah) is the capital city of Egypt (and previously the United Arab Republic) and has a metropolitan area population of approximately 15. ...

Founded in about the year 670, the original name was derived from Arabic kairuwân, from Persian Kârawân, meaning "camp", "caravan", or "resting place". See caravanserai. Arabic (العربية al-arabiyyah, or less formally arabi) is the largest member of the Semitic branch of the Afro-Asiatic language family (classification: South Central Semitic) and is closely related to Hebrew and Aramaic. ... Persian (فارسی / پارسی), (local name in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan: ‘Fârsi’), ‘Pârsi’ (older local name, but still used by some speakers), Tajik (a Central Asian dialect) or Dari (another local name in Tajikistan and Afghanistan), is a language spoken in Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, western Pakistan, Bahrain, and elsewhere. ... A caravanserai (also spelt caravansarai, caravansary) or khan (the usual term in Arab countries) was a roadside inn where caravans could rest and recover from the days journey. ...

History

Kairouan was founded in about the year 670 when the Muslim general Uqba ibn Nafi selected a site in the middle of a dense forest, then infested with wild beasts and reptiles, as the location of a military post. It was to keep in check the Berber hordes and was located far from the sea where it was safe from attack. A city soon developed, with luxuriant gardens and olive groves. Ibn Nafi was killed in battle by the Berbers about fifteen years after the military post was established. Events On the death of his brother Clotaire, Childeric II becomes king of all of the Frankish kingdoms -- Austrasia, Neustria and Burgundy. ... A Muslim (Arabic: مسلم) is an adherent of Islam. ... Uqba ibn Nafi (d. ... The Berbers (also called Imazighen, free men, singular Amazigh) are an ethnic group indigenous to Northwest Africa, speaking the Berber languages of the Afroasiatic family. ... The Berbers (also called Imazighen, free men, singular Amazigh) are an ethnic group indigenous to Northwest Africa, speaking the Berber languages of the Afroasiatic family. ...

The city was soon recaptured and remained for four centuries the "holy city", the Mecca of North Africa. In the tenth century, the city was embellished by the Aghlabites. It was the capital in the eleventh century, and was famous for its wealth and prosperity. About the middle of the eleventh century, the Fatimites of Egypt instigated the Egyptian Bedouins to invade this part of Africa. The city was so utterly destroyed that it would never regain its former position. Then Mahdia became the capital under the Fatimites. Under the Ottomans, Tunis became, and remains, the capital. In 1881, Kairouan was taken by the French, after which non-Muslims were allowed access to the city. This article is about the holy city in Saudi Arabia. ... // Etymology World map showing Africa (geographically) The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra — land of the Afri (plural, or Afer singular) — for the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day... The Aghlabid dynasty of emirs ruled Ifriqiya (northern Africa), nominally on behalf of the Abbasid Caliph, for about a century, until overthrown by the new power of the Fatimids. ... The Fatimid or Fatimid Caliphate is the Ismaili Shiite dynasty that ruled North Africa from A.D. 909 to 1171. ... Bedouin resting at Mount Sinai Bedouin, derived from the Arabic badawi بدوي, a generic name for a desert-dweller, is a term generally applied to Arab nomadic groups, who are found throughout most of the desert belt extending from the Atlantic coast of the Sahara via the Western Desert, Sinai, and... Mahdia is a coastal town in Tunisia, founded by the Fatimids and named after their self-proclaimed Mahdi. ... The Fatimid or Fatimid Caliphate is the Ismaili Shiite dynasty that ruled North Africa from A.D. 909 to 1171. ... The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Imperial motto El Muzaffer Daima The Ever Victorious (as written in tugra) Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital İstanbul ( Constantinople/Asitane/Konstantiniyye ) Sovereigns Sultans of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million Area 12+ million km² Establishment 1299 Dissolution October 29, 1923... 1881 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ...

Religion

Kairouan is a holy city for many Muslims, and many Sunni Muslims consider it the fourth holiest city of Islam, after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, and the holiest city of the Maghreb. There are very many mosques in the city, among which the great mosque. For a long time, non-muslims were not allowed to enter the city, in more recent times this is allowed. Pilgrimages are made to this holy city. Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ...   Islam[?] (Arabic: الإسلام al-islām) the submission to God is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions, and the worlds second largest religion. ... This article is about the holy city in Saudi Arabia. ... This article is about the city of Medina in Saudi Arabia. ... Jerusalem (31° 46′ N, 35° 14′ E; Hebrew:   יְרוּשָׁלַיִם [?]; Yerushalayim; Arabic:   القُدس[?] al-Quds; see also names of Jerusalem) is an ancient Middle Eastern city of key importance to the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. ... (see also North Africa, Tamazgha, Arab Maghreb Union, Mashreq) The Maghreb (المغرب العربي ; sometimes also rendered Moghreb), meaning western in Arabic, is the region of the continent of Africa north of the Sahara desert and west of the Nile - specifically, the modern countries of Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya- and to a much... Tulip Mosque in Ufa, Russia. ... Pilgrim at Mecca A pilgrimage is a term primarily used in religion and spirituality of a long journey or search of great moral significance. ...

Sights

The souk (market place) of Kairouan is very famous, it is in the medina, which is surrounded by walls, and of which the entrance gates can be seen from far. Products that are sold here are carpets, vases and goods made of leather. As with merchants in most major Tunisian cities, Kairouan merchants rely on tourism for much of their income. The souq in Marrakech, Morocco A souk (سوق, also sook, souq, or suq) is a commercial quarter in an Arab city. ... A medina quarter is a distinct city section found in many North African cities. ...

Miscellaneous

Amongst Tunisians, Kairouan is famous for its pastries (eg, zlebia and makroudh).

In Raiders of the Lost Ark, the street scenes in "Cairo" were actually filmed in Kairouan. Raiders of the Lost Ark, also known as Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, is a film released by Paramount Pictures in 1981. ...

External links

• Kairouan, tourismtunisia.com
• Kairouan World heritage Site, whc.unesco.org
• Kairouan University
• Kairwan, jewishencyclopedia.com