Kasbah Mosque, Tunis

The Kasbah Mosque crowns the upper medina of Tunis, beside the historic seat of government from which the surrounding quarter takes its name. Founded in the thirteenth century under the Hafsid dynasty, it is one of the oldest and most important mosques in the city after the great Zitouna, and it long served the rulers and officials based in the adjacent citadel.

Its minaret is the building's signature. Decorated with the interlacing lozenge patterns characteristic of Almohad and Hafsid architecture, it belongs to the same family as the famous towers of Marrakesh and Seville, linking Tunis to a wider western Islamic tradition. Rising above the government quarter, the minaret is a prominent landmark on the medina skyline.

The mosque anchors the political heart of old Tunis. The Kasbah square beside it has been the centre of power for centuries and remains so today, flanked by government buildings, which gives the area a more formal, open character than the crowded souks lower down the hill.

A visit combines easily with the upper medina's sights, including the nearby palaces and the descent through the markets toward the Zitouna Mosque. As with other working mosques in Tunisia, the interior is generally reserved for Muslim worshippers, so visitors admire the exterior and especially the finely patterned minaret. Dress modestly, and approach through the Kasbah square to appreciate the mosque's setting at the summit of the old city. Come in clear light to photograph the minaret's geometric decoration against the sky, and take a moment to reflect on the long continuity of this spot as the seat of authority in Tunis, from the Hafsid sultans to the present day. It is among the most historically resonant buildings in the capital.