Tunisia: Sfax – Great Mosque of Sfax

The Great Mosque of Sfax sits right in the heart of the Medina of Sfax and dates back to 849 AD and is one of the earliest and most significant mosques in the Maghreb. The mosque’s minaret was constructed in 988 AD under the Zirid dynasty and later restored in the 18th century. Standing at 30m, it is richly decorated with geometric patterns, Kufic inscriptions, and ceramic tiles. The interior is dark and packed with old columns and niches, all very richly decorated with various religious inscriptions (interestingly, most of the prayer hall’s columns are reused Roman and Byzantine marble columns, likely sourced from nearby ancient sites).