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List of World Heritage Sites in Tunisia

None

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites are places of importance to cultural or natural heritage as described in the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, established in 1972. Cultural heritage consists of monuments (such as architectural works, monumental sculptures, or inscriptions), groups of buildings, and sites (including archaeological sites). Natural features (consisting of physical and biological formations), geological and physiographical formations (including habitats of threatened species of animals and plants), and natural sites which are important from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty, are defined as natural heritage. Tunisia accepted the convention on 10 March 1975, making its sites eligible for inclusion on the list.

Tunisia has nine sites on the list, eight of which are listed for their cultural significance and one, the Ichkeul National Park, for natural significance. This site was listed endangered between 1996 and 2006 because of the construction of dams that threatened the hydrological regime of the lake and resulted in a reduction of vegetation and a drop in bird numbers. By 2006 the situation had improved so the site was removed from the endangered list. The first three sites were listed in 1979 and the most recent, Djerba, in 2023. In addition, Tunisia has 16 sites on the tentative list. The country has served on the World Heritage Committee four times.

World Heritage Sites

UNESCO lists sites under ten criteria; each entry must meet at least one of the criteria. Criteria i through vi are cultural, and vii through x are natural.

Site	Image	Location (governorate)	Year listed	UNESCO data	Description	Medina of Tunis
[[File:View of Tunis through Zitouna Mosque.jpg	150px	alt=A minaret in North African style]]	Tunis	1979	36bis; ii, iii, v (cultural)	Tunis was founded in 698 as one of the first Arab cities in the Maghreb. It reached its peak between the 12th and 16th centuries, under the Almohads and Hafsids, when it was one of the wealthiest cities of the Islamic world. Due to its location, it was a linking point between the Maghreb, Europe, and the East. Numerous monuments in the medina have been preserved, including several city gates, the Kasbah Mosque (pictured), noble houses, souks, and a cemetery. A minor boundary modification of the site took place in 2010.
[[File:Ruines de Carthage.jpg	150px	alt=Ancient ruins near the coast]]	Tunis	1979	37; ii, iii, vi (cultural)	Founded in the 9th century BCE by the Phoenicians, Carthage developed into a trading empire spanning the Mediterranean. It was a major rival to the Roman Republic which resulted in a series of wars, until the city was ultimately destroyed in 146 BCE. It was later reestablished as Roman Carthage. Remains of buildings from different periods have been preserved, including temples, a theater, public baths, necropolises, cisterns, and residential buildings.
[[File:Anfiteatro, El Jem, Túnez, 2016-09-04, DD 09.jpg	150px	alt=Ruins of a Roman theater]]	Mahdia	1979	38bis; iv, vi (cultural)	The 3rd century amphitheatre of Thysdrus, today known as El Jem, is North Africa's largest amphitheatre. It was modeled after the Colosseum in Rome. It is estimated it had a capacity of 35,000 spectators. The fact that such an imposing building was constructed in a rather remote province is a sign of Roman imperial propaganda. A minor boundary modification of the site took place in 2010.
[[File:Parcichkeul3.jpg	150px	alt=A view at a lake with vegetation at the side]]	Bizerte	1980	8; x (natural)	The freshwater lake and the surrounding wetlands are the remains of a much larger chain of lakes. It is an important wintering habitat for hundreds of thousands of migratory birds, especially geese, coots, and ducks, such as the white-headed duck, ferruginous duck, and the marbled duck. Other birds include storks and flamingos. The site was listed as endangered between 1996 and 2006 because of the construction of dams that threatened the hydrological regime of the lake and resulted in a reduction of vegetation and a drop in bird numbers. By 2006, the situation had improved so the site was removed from the endangered list.
[[File:Kerkouane1.JPG	150px	alt=Ancient ruins with some bottom parts of columns standing]]	Nabeul	1985	332bis; iii (cultural)	The Phoenicio–Punic town of Kerkouane was abandoned around 250 BCE during the First Punic War. Unlike other Phoenician cities, such as Carthage, Byblos, or Tyre, it was not rebuilt under the Romans. The ruins, which date to the 4th and 3th centuries BCE were discovered in 1952, and provide an important insight into Punic urban planning. The nearby necropolis that provides insight into the Punic funerary practices was added to the site in 1986.
[[File:Sousse Grosse Moschee.JPG	150px	alt=A view at a mosque near the shore from above]]	Sousse	1988	498bis; iii, iv, v (cultural)	The coastal town of Sousse became important in the 9th century under the Aghlabids, as a part of the defense system to protect against piracy and other attacks from the sea. The medina has been well preserved. Monuments including the Ribat, which is both a fortification and a religious building, the Great Mosque (pictured), the kasbah, the Bou Ftata Mosque, and fortifications. A minor boundary modification of the site took place in 2010.
[[File:Great Mosque of Kairouan Panorama - Grande Mosquée de Kairouan Panorama.jpg	150px	alt=A large mosque in evening light]]	Kairouan	1988	499bis; i, ii, iii, v, vi (cultural)	Kairouan was founded in 670 as one of the first Arabo-Muslim cities in the Maghreb. It served as the capital of Ifriqiya for five centuries and flourished under the Aghlabids in the 9th century. There are numerous monuments in the city, including the Great Mosque (pictured) the Mosque of the Three Doors, the medina, walls, and gates. Kairouan is one of the holiest cities of Islam. A minor boundary modification of the site took place in 2010.
[[File:Dougga theatre.jpg	150px	alt=Ruins of a Roman theatre]]	Béja	1997	794; ii, iii (cultural)	Dougga encompasses the ruins of a small Roman town, with most buildings dating to the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE. The Roman town was founded on a site of an important Libyan–Punic settlement, which was probably the first capital of the Numidian Kingdom. The town declined in the Byzantine and Islamic periods. Monuments include the Roman theatre (pictured) and the Libyco-Punic Mausoleum. Numerous inscriptions in several regional languages were found on site and provide an insight into the daily life on the fringes of the Roman Empire.
[[File:Old well in Djerba.jpg	150px	alt=An old well with palm trees and a camel]]	Medenine	2023	1640; v (cultural)	The island of Djerba has a semi-dry climate and water is scarce. This resulted in a specific settlement pattern that developed around the 9th century, with a series of low-density neighborhoods connected with roads. An old well is pictured.

Tentative list

In addition to sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, member states can maintain a list of tentative sites that they may consider for nomination. Nominations for the World Heritage List are only accepted if the site was previously listed on the tentative list. Tunisia maintains 16 properties on its tentative list.

Site	Image	Location (governorate)	Year listed	UNESCO criteria	Description	El Feidja National Park
[[File:Parc National El Feija 02.jpg	150px	alt=Look at a forest from above, a cliff on the left side of the photo]]	Jendouba	2008	vii, viii, x (natural)	The park is home to oak forests, with species Quercus faginea and Quercus suber. The forests have rich undergrowth with several medicinal and aromatic plants, the knowledge of which is being passed down through generations. The Barbary stag lives here, while the Barbary lion has been extinct since the 20th century.
[[File:Parc_national_de_Bouhedma.jpg	150px	alt=Savanna scenery with sparse trees and mountains in the background]]	Sidi Bouzid	2008	vii, viii, x (natural)	The park covers remnants of an ancient pre-Saharan savanna, similar to that of the Sahel. It used to be inhabited by several large mammals such as elephants and antelopes, but they have gradually disappeared. In the 1980s, the scimitar oryx, addax, and ostrich were reintroduced to the area. There are also Roman archaeological remains in the park.
[[File:Djerid3.jpg	150px	alt=A view of a salt lake in a desert]]	Kebili	2008	vii, viii, ix, x (natural)	Chott el Djerid is a chott, a salt lake that stays dry most of the year but occasionally fills with water. During humid periods in the past, it used to be a permanent lake up to 25 m deep. Traces of aquatic life have been preserved. Several species of waterbirds visit the lake, including large flocks of flamingos.
[[File:Gabes_Minaret.jpg	150px	alt=A mosque and a palm tree]]	Gabès	2008	iv, vii, x (mixed)	The Gabès Oasis, located at the Mediterranean coast, is a rare type of a coastal oasis. It is a refuge for several species of small mammals and reptiles, and it serves as a stopover for migratory birds. Date palms, fruit trees, and garden vegetables are grown here. Agriculture is assisted by a network of irrigation channels that have been used for millennia.
[[File:Mausolée libyco-punique closer view.jpg	150px	alt=An ancient mausoleum]]	several sites	2012	ii, iii, iv (cultural)	This nomination comprises a series of mausolea and funerary monuments across Tunisia. They vary in architectural styles and reflect the interactions between the cultures of the Maghreb. The monuments include the Libyco-Punic Mausoleum of Dougga (pictured, already listed a part of the World Heritage Site of Dougga), the necropolis of Chemtou, the megalithic dolmens of Eles, the monuments at Maktar, and the mausoleum of Henchir Bourgou in Djerba.
[[File:Zaghouan_aqueduc.jpg	150px	alt=]]	several sites	2012	i, iv (cultural)	The Roman hydraulic complex, built in the early 2nd century, comprises the catchment area with four main springs at Zaghouan, the aqueduct (section pictured) that carries water for 132 km to Carthage and has sections with arches up to 20 m tall, and the infrastructure at the end stage, including the Cisterns of La Malga and the Baths of Antoninus.
[[File:Chemtou Marble Quarry.JPG	150px	alt=Rock formation that was used as a quarry]]	Jendouba	2012	ii, iv (cultural)	The quarries of Chemtou produced marble for over six centuries, first in the 2nd century BCE and later under Rome, when the so-called Numidian marble became a prized commodity for decoration of patrician residences and public monuments across the Empire. Marble was quarried by slaves and convicts under the supervision of the army. The remains of a military camp have been preserved.
[[File:Castellum_Tisavar_(Ksar_Rhilane,_Ksar_Ghilane),_Tunisia.jpg	150px	alt=Roman ruins in a desert setting]]	several sites	2012	ii, iii, iv (cultural)	This nomination comprises a series of fortifications, walls, camps, and other support structures that formed the southern Borders of the Roman Empire. Construction started under Emperor Augustus in the early 1st century. Unlike several sections of Roman Limes in Europe that are already listed as World Heritage Sites, this section was constructed in a desert setting, which called for different engineering solutions. Ksar Ghilane is pictured.
[[File:Grande_Mosqu%C3%A9e_de_Sfax_09.jpg	150px	alt=A look at the medina from above, with a prominent minaret of a mosque]]	Sfax	2012	ii, iv, v (cultural)	Founded in the mid-9th century, Sfax was the port of Ifriqiya and its gateway to the Levant. The medina quarter is laid on a rectangular plan and is one of the best examples of Arabo-Muslim urbanism in the Mediterranean basin. The city plan is similar to the one of Kufa, the first Arabo-Muslim city. The medina is dominated by the Great Mosque.
[[File:Dj_Tebaga_Kh.jpg	150px	alt=Hills in a dry setting]]	Médenine	2016	vii, viii (natural)	The geological formation of Jebel Tebaga dates to the late Permian period, before the Permian–Triassic extinction event. Fossils found in the formation illustrate the marine life of the period, including trilobites from the genus Pseudophillipsia.
	Kef	2016	vii, viii (natural)	The geological formation along the Oued Mallègue river exhibits a clear sequence of sediments spanning across the Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary, with a thin iridium-rich layer of clay marking the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, supporting the theory that the extinction was caused by an asteroid impact.
[[File:Table de Jughurta.JPG	150px	alt=A large mesa in a dry setting]]	Kef	2017	ii, iii, v, vi, vii, viii (mixed)	Jugurtha Tableland is a large mesa near the town of Kalaat es Senam. It is named after Numidian king Jugurtha who took shelter here during a battle with the Rome between 107 and 105 BCE, before he was ultimately defeated. There is a fort (qalat) on the top that was used in different historical periods, as well as prehistoric remains such as dolmens. Geologically, the formation is an example of an inverted relief and shows typical processes of erosion.
[[File:Chenini-stegop-04.jpg	150px	alt=Abandoned fortress in a desert]]	several sites	2020	iv, v (cultural)	This nomination illustrates traditional forms of human settlement and land use that are representative of the ways of life of indigenous communities in southern Tunisia and their interaction with an unfavourable, even hostile natural environment. It comprises two large troglodyte complexes and a series of ksour, traditional fortified villages in the region. Ksar Chenini is pictured.
[[File:Bouteille en œuf d'autruche (Capsien).png	150px	alt=Drawing of an ostrich egg used as a bottle]]	Gafsa	2021	iii (cultural)	Rammadiya d'El Magtaa near Gafsa is an archaeological site of the Capsian culture, dating from 10,000 to 7,000 years before present, when the area was an open savanna. People of the Capsian culture were hunter-gatherers that left stone figures, petroglyphs, and carved ostrich eggs (drawing of an example pictured).
[[File:Sbeitla 10.jpg	150px	alt=A Roman triumphal arch]]	Kasserine	2021	ii (cultural)	The Roman town of Sufetula Musuniorum was founded in the 1st century CE as an administrative centre of a region inhabited by nomadic tribes. It was a typical colonial Roman settlement with temples, Roman baths, and a triumphal arch (pictured). It was later used by the Byzantines and Gregory the Patrician, who in 647 declared independence before being defeated in the same year by the Arabs. This marked the end of the Byzantine domination in North Africa.
[[File:Tunisie Sidi Bousaid 01.jpg	150px	alt=White building with blue doors and windows and some palm trees]]	Tunis	2024	ii, vi (cultural)	The village, located on the coast of the Gulf of Tunis, started developing in the 18th century when the wealthy citizens of Tunis started building their holiday residences there. There are numerous palaces, religious sites, public spaces, and fountains, in a mixture of architectural styles that have been changing through time. The village is a hub for artists and is a spiritual centre, with the tomb of a Sufi scholar Sidi Bou Said, after whom the village takes its name.

References

"The World Heritage Convention". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Tunisia". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Thirtieth Session: State of conservation reports of the properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"The Criteria for Selection". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Medina of Tunis". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Archaeological Site of Carthage". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Amphitheatre of El Jem". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Ichkeul National Park". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Medina of Sousse". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Kairouan". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Dougga / Thugga". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Djerba: Testimony to a settlement pattern in an island territory". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Tentative Lists". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Parc National d'El Feija". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Parc National de Bouhedma". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Chott El Jerid". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Oasis de Gabès". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Les Mausolées Royaux de Numidie, de la Maurétanie et les monuments funéraires pré-islamiques". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Le complexe hydraulique romain de Zaghouan-Carthage". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Frontières de l'Empire romain : Limes du Sud tunisien". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Médina de Sfax". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Le Permien marin de Jebel Tebaga". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Le Stratotype de la limite Crétacé-Tertiaire (limite K-T)". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"La Table de Jugurtha à Kalaat-Senen". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Habitat troglodytique et le monde des ksour du Sud tunisien". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Rammadiya d'El Magtaa (El Mekta), le site princeps de la culture capsienne". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Le site archéologique de Sbeïtla". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
"Village de Sidi Bou Saïd : Harmonie architecturale et spirituelle en Méditerranée". UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

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