Things to do in Kairouan
Explore top experiences
Top 10 attractions in Kairouan
Great Mosque of Kairouan
Great Mosque of Kairouan, also known as the Mosque of Uqba, is located in the northeast corner of the old city of Kairouan, a holy city in Tunisia. In 670 AD, the Arab general and founder of Kairouan, Uqba ibn Nafi, ordered the construction of this mosque at the beginning of the city's founding and planned it together with the governor's palace in the city center; after nearly two centuries, especially the large-scale expansion during the Aghlabid dynasty in the 9th century, it took on its current layout. It is one of the oldest surviving places of worship in the Islamic world and provided a model for later mosque architecture in North Africa. The exterior of the mosque resembles a heavy fortress, but stepping inside reveals a different world: a spacious courtyard paved with marble is surrounded by double-arched arcades on all four sides. The columns are mostly made of marble and granite salvaged from Roman and Byzantine buildings, many of which came from Carthage. In the center of the courtyard lies a sundial used to determine prayer times, and not far away is a rainwater collection basin carved in the shape of a horseshoe arch, where rainwater is filtered before flowing into an underground cistern. The three-story square minaret in the center of the north side is over 30m high, and Roman stones with Latin inscriptions are still embedded in its base. This tower is considered the prototype for minarets in North Africa and Spain and is the highest point in the old city, visible from far outside the city walls. The prayer hall on the south side is entered through several carved wooden doors. Inside, the hall is filled with a forest of stone columns and crisscrossing corridors, and the early use of horseshoe arches influenced later North African mosque architecture. ${S2}Tunisia · Kairouan
Medina of Kairouan
Located in Tunisia, Kairouan Old Town is an ancient city full of history and culture, and is listed as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. As the fourth holiest city in Islam, Kairouan attracts many tourists with its rich religious and architectural heritage. The most famous landmark in the Old Town is the Great Mosque, which is an important pilgrimage site for Muslims with its magnificent architecture and exquisite decoration. Walking through the narrow streets of the Old Town, visitors can admire the traditional Arabic architectural style and experience the local atmosphere. The market here is an ideal place to buy handicrafts and traditional goods, where visitors can find specialty goods such as carpets, copperware and ceramics. When visiting the Old Town of Kairouan, it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes for walking on the stone slabs. The attractions in the Old Town are relatively concentrated and can be easily visited on foot. Visitors can take a long-distance bus or rent a car from Tunis to Kairouan, and the journey takes about two hours. The Old Town of Kairouan is not only a must-visit for history lovers, but also an ideal window to experience Tunisian culture.Tunisia · Kairouan
Basins of Aghlabides
In the 9th century AD, the Kairouan area suffered severe water shortages. The drought and lack of rain at the time, coupled with the fact that the area was below sea level, made it extremely difficult to use water. The locals built 15 cisterns for drinking water. Only two of the imprints left by the Agrabit dynasty are now left for tourists to visit. Standing on the high platform where he specialized in cultivation, he could see the wisdom of Kairouwan at a glance. The small pool is used to store the water drained from the mountain. After the sand and gravel are filtered out through the filter arch with a certain height, it flows into the large pool. At this time, the water can basically be used for production and life, and people will take water along the rectangular embankment. It is cooler here in summer nights, and many people will relax here to enjoy the coolness.Tunisia · Kairouan
Saratoga Springs
Tunisia · Kairouan
Experiences you can't miss in Kairouan
Featured Day tours in Kairouan
View all Day tours
Free cancellation
Book now for tomorrow
5% off
Limited-time sale
FromUS$25.58US$26.93
4.9/5
· 150 reviewsFree cancellation
40 consecutive positive reviews
FromUS$171.64
5.0/5
· 6 reviewsFree cancellation
Book now for tomorrow
5% off
Limited-time sale
FromUS$14.39US$15.15
FromUS$155.00
5% off
Limited-time sale
FromUS$89.59US$94.31
Featured SIM card in Kairouan
View all SIM card
4.4/5
· 185 reviews· 6.6k bookedFree cancellation
Book now for today
211 bookings in 7 days
50% off
Limited-time sale
FromUS$0.57US$1.14
4.2/5
· 338 reviews· 10.6k bookedFree cancellation
Book now for today
222 bookings in 7 days
5% off
Limited-time sale
FromUS$1.68US$1.77
4.5/5
· 56 reviews· 1k bookedFree cancellation
Book now for today
91.1% of travelers recommend
50% off
Limited-time sale
FromUS$0.16US$0.32
4.5/5
· 782 reviews· 25.2k bookedBook now for today
Fast-selling Wi-Fi & SIM cards
5% off
Limited-time sale
FromUS$15.70US$16.53
4.4/5
· 139 reviews· 3.6k bookedFree cancellation
Book now for today
178 bookings in 7 days
5% off
Limited-time sale
FromUS$1.69US$1.78
4.3/5
· 197 reviews· 6k bookedBook now for today
192 bookings in 7 days
15% off
Limited-time sale
FromUS$15.49US$18.23
4.3/5
· 21 reviews· 164 bookedFree cancellation
Book now for today
50% off
Limited-time sale
FromUS$0.57US$1.15
4.3/5
· 15 reviews· 85 bookedFree cancellation
Book now for today
15% off
Limited-time sale
FromUS$1.54US$1.82
More ways to travel from Kairouan
Private Tours in Kairouan
View More Private Tours in Kairouan
Group Tours in Kairouan
View More Group Tours in Kairouan
Free things to do in Kairouan
What travellers say about Kairouan
yccuiApril 27, 2025
5.0
One of the must-see attractions in Tunisia, the entire building is very majestic, and the environment in the desert also brings a different style here.
Both the chandelier inside the main tower and the building outside are very interesting.
Great Mosque of Kairouan
juki235April 18, 2020
5.0
The Agrabit Reservoir in Kairouan is an important water source in Tunisia. The design here is very characteristic of the local area. One of the large pools is covered with sheepskin and camel skin to collect rainwater, which then flows into the large pool for sedimentation. This is an important source of purified water. It is really very imaginative and worth a visit.
Basins of Aghlabides