HERITAGE RECORD · 498

Medina of Sousse

苏塞古城

The official record, selection criteria and sourced cultural context.

World Heritage record

Sousse was an important commercial and military port during the Aghlabid period (800–909) and is a typical example of a town dating from the first centuries of Islam. With its kasbah, ramparts, medina (with the Great Mosque), Bu Ftata Mosque and typical ribat (both a fort and a religious building), Sousse was part of a coastal defence system.

Open the official UNESCO record ↗

Wikidata reference

QIDQ608100 ↗

Area31.68 ha

Administrative areaQ180717

WikipediaMedina of Sousse ↗

Imported locally from Wikidata; it does not replace the UNESCO record or editorial copy.

Selection criteria

This property was inscribed under the following World Heritage Convention criteria.

(iii)A unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or civilisation.

(iv)An outstanding example of a building, ensemble or landscape illustrating a significant stage in human history.

Cultural archive

Record lead

UNESCO record lead

Brief synthesis Located in the Tunisian Sahel, the Medina of Sousse constitutes a harmonious archaeological complex that reflects Arabo-Muslim urbanism applied to a coastal town exposed through its history to piracy and dangers from the sea.

Source-led archive lead · 86%Source ↗

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