In the heart of the capital, Tunis, narrow winding alleys meet the big minarets, the flow of colors, sounds and perfumes scented in the center of the ancient city, which lives in a special pulse in Ramadan.
The ancient city is one of the most important characteristics of the history and civilization of the country, and it opens its doors to the world through “Bab Bahr”, this entry, which is a link between the present and the past.
When this door crosses, the visitor finds himself in narrow alleys provided with stones, surrounded by traditional stores, while the facades of the houses reflect an ancient architectural character bearing the imprint of history.
The ancient city is famous for the art of Hafsi architecture, because it is characterized by its narrow corridors, its houses with internal techniques, minarets and arches which reflect the originality of the Arab-Islamic heritage in Tunisia.
The finger appears, which are high-end parts hanging over the alleys in the middle of the facades of houses and shops, because they give narrow alleys a touch of architectural beauty.
Kinetic
The corners of the market are filled with colored fabrics suspended in front of the stores, and the silver and copper pieces offered for sale, while the smells of perfumes feel, which creates a traditional vibrant atmosphere.
The old town markets are mixed with the movement of visitors from everywhere to buy their Ramadan supplies, and the merchants stand in front of their stores, with career observers, looking for their requests.
The flow of foreign tourists does not depend on this old Ramadan place to discover the details of life in this historic part of the capital, taking the lenses of their cameras with precise details in its angles.
As the second oldest mosque in the country after the Aqaba mosque, the Al -Zaytouna mosque is in the midst of the markets, where it was built during the Hafsids rule that settled in Tunisia in the 13th century similar to the Al -attarin market, Al -Nahhas Market and Shwashin Market.
Ruin
In recent years, the old city markets have attended an intense presence of imported products, which has led to the drop in certain local trades, but the place is still firm in front of fluctuations.
Despite the difficult economic conditions, many craftsmen strive in the ancient city to preserve the professions of their former grandparents, which are the cornerstone of the identity of the Arab city with its various markets.
Among these craftsmen, the craftsman, Mohamed Murabit, is sitting on a chair in front of a commercial store specializing in copper, one of the oldest craftsmen who are still firmly in the ancient city of Tunisia.
This craftsman is concerned about copper methods, while visitors stop to see it while climbing the Arabic names and decorations on engraving pots which remains a witness to the skill of Tunisian craftsmen.
“Despite all the changes of life, copper is one of our traditions and, during the month of Ramadan, the market is recovered with the arrival of customers in search of copper or traditional decorations,” he said in Al -jazeera Net.
Muhammad believes in its depths that his manual work contributes to the rebirth of the authenticity of the place, indicating the admiration of customers for the dishes and the sculpted lanterns decorated with heritage house decorations.
authenticity
In turn, Karim Al -Rabhi, a pottery merchant, pays great attention to the adornment of his place full of utensils and pottery, because he wants to display each piece carefully to embody the authenticity of the pottery industry.
In the context, this merchant says to Al -jazeera net that the request for pottery products increases, in particular on occasions such as Ramadan, while visitors seek to acquire memories which represent part of the Tunisian identity.
Life in the ancient city is not limited to traditional markets and professions, but also extends to its cultural centers which become the theater of artistic performance for the City Festival in Ramadan.
The presence of popular cafes also gives a special character to the place, while visitors flock to the taste of Arabic coffee and traditional candies which give the evenings of Ramadan a distinctive character.
The ancient city of Tunisia embodies the originality of the first Arab Islamic city of the Maghreb which emerged to exist around 13 centuries ago and has been classified since 1979 to Unesco as a cultural heritage of humanity.