TUNISIEAt the heart of the medina you will find a city centre full of life and entertainment with its traditional souks and cafes, the Rhaba. The surrounding buildings are inspired by Italian, Tunisian, Moroccan or oriental architecture.
The Medina is full of reproductions of symbolic monuments related to the different eras and civilizations of Arab history. The Skia al kahla gate for example is representative of Fatimid architecture. The Red Dome is as a jewel of Arabic architecture in Sicily and the Golden Tower, recently transformed into a marine museum is one of the most beautiful testimonies of the Muslim civilization of Seville. You may also admire the Blue Tower, a tribute to the Majorelle Garden in Marrakech.
Further away stand the ancient walls of the city of Mahdia dating from the 10th century, as well as the ruins of the ramparts of the city of Sfax. Theses incredible memorial sites are will allow you to dive into Tunisia’s legends and history and legends.
Located at the west side of the Medina Méditerranea, on front of its emblematic main entrance. It is named after "Bab Skifa al kahla", the last vestige of the ancient walls of the Tunisian city of Mahdia, built in the 10th century. It survived the assault launched on the city five centuries later by the most powerful Christian monarch, Charles Quint. The Skifa al Kahla was the only land entrance gate of the city, at the time surrounded by the sea and by very powerful walls. Its name refers to the long dark vestibule that extended the entrance porch. The monument here restored its architecture, while making some modifications to the level of its opening, shorter.
Skifa al Kahla has always fascinated Arab and Western authors. It represents the greatness of Fatimid architecture, an immense dynasty that ruled over two centuries over North Africa, Sicily and parts of the Middle East. In the eyes of the Tunisians, it is also the symbol of patriotism and resistance to all the assailants. The Medina Méditerranea takes up all this symbolism by making some modifications in the type of opening, the vaults and the suppression of the long dark vestibule, the same one which gave its name to the entrance. The idea being to get out of the darkness and go to the light.