Kairouan Landmarks: What to See and When

October 31, 2026

Kairouan’s landmarks follow a pattern: religious buildings, water works, ramparts and two museums. Access rules differ from site to site, so this page lists each one with what you can actually do.

Great Mosque (Mosque of Uqba)

What it is: founded in 670 CE and rebuilt in the 9th century, among the oldest mosques in the Islamic West, with about 400 columns.
Access: non-Muslims cannot enter the prayer hall. Doors are left open for looking in, and the courtyard is open.
Hours: 07:30 to 14:00 in summer, 08:00 to 14:00 in winter and Ramadan, Fridays until 12:00. Visits stop for prayer times.
Works: two tenders were issued in September 2026 for infrastructure and wooden elements, with bids due 18 December 2026. No closure has been announced.

Mosque of the Three Doors

Founded in 866 CE by Muhammad ibn Khayrun al-Ma’firi, an Andalusian. The facade is among the earliest decorated mosque facades in Islamic architecture. Treat it as an exterior stop and look from the street.

Zaouia of Sidi Sahbi

The shrine of Abu Zama’a al-Balawi, a companion of the Prophet, known as the Barber’s mosque. You can reach the courtyards but not the mosque hall or tomb. Listings show 08:00 to 17:00 or 18:00, so ask locally. A restoration of the south section was announced in March 2026.

Aghlabid Basins

Large 9th-century reservoirs that supplied the city. Restoration began in July 2025 over about 14 hectares, and a public park is planned. You can see the site from outside, so ask whether entry is open before travelling out.

Ramparts

The medina walls were restored by the end of 2025 after a collapse in December 2023. The Martyrs Gate, Bab ech-Chouhada, is the usual place to begin looking at them.

Sidi Amor Abada museum

In the Abada suburb, close to the Zitouna oratory. Collections include huge swords, anchors and chests from the Ghar el-Melh naval base. Hours: 08:00 to 14:00 in summer, 09:00 to 16:00 in winter, shut on Monday.

Raqqada National Museum of Islamic Art

About 10 to 12 km from the city, inside a former presidential residence. The blue Quran is in the first-floor manuscript room. Hours follow the other museum, and it closes on Monday.

Costs

Heritage fees changed on 1 April 2026. Expect about 20 to 30 TND for a major monument, with another increase in January 2027. Reduced tickets of 2 TND exist for pupils, students and Jeune card holders. Ask the booth about a grouped ticket and what it covers.

Timing the day

Everything closes early afternoon, and Fridays are shorter. Go before 10:00 in summer, when highs above 40 C are normal and the courtyard offers no shade. The Mawlid, the Prophet’s birthday, brings crowds, and its date moves about 11 days earlier each year with the lunar calendar.

Guided options

A licensed guide helps at the larger sites. Compare guided sightseeing in Kairouan for coast departures. Official pages for the Sidi Amor Abada museum list the museum details.