Mosquée Youssef Dey (Youssef Dey Mosque), Tunis

Mosquée Youssef Dey (Youssef Dey Mosque), Tunis

The Youssef Dey Mosque is an important mosque located in the Medina area of Tunis, built in the 17th century. It was the first mosque of Ottoman-Turkish design to be constructed in Tunis and is now recognized as an official Historical Monument. Originally, it was used as a public speaking venue before it was converted into a mosque in 1631 by Youssef Dey, becoming the 11th mosque in the capital.

The prayer room is surrounded by courtyards on three sides, with a portico acting as a gallery along the northern facade. The room follows a classical hypostyle hall plan, consisting of nine naves and seven bays with arches resting on columns of various origins. The prayer hall is covered with a groin vault and has a cupola on an octagonal base in front of the mihrab. The minbar is made of masonry and covered with panels of polychrome marble, which is unique to the mosque.

The mosque's minaret is also significant, as it is the first octagonal minaret to be constructed in Tunis and was made by the Hafsids. It has a square base and ends with a balcony protected by a wooden awning. The minaret is crowned with a lantern that has a pyramidal roof covered with green tiles.

The mosque also houses the mausoleum of Youssef Dey, which inaugurated the funeral mosque concept in Tunis, where the tomb of the founder is associated with the place of worship. The mausoleum has a square plan and is covered with a pyramidal roof topped with green tiles. It features a commemorative inscription on the central arch and is accented with white marble facades alternating with clavellus in black and white.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Tunis. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Mosquée Youssef Dey (Youssef Dey Mosque) on Map

Sight Name: Mosquée Youssef Dey (Youssef Dey Mosque)
Sight Location: Tunis, Tunisia (See walking tours in Tunis)
Sight Type: Religious

Walking Tours in Tunis, Tunisia

Create Your Own Walk in Tunis

Create Your Own Walk in Tunis

Creating your own self-guided walk in Tunis is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Tunis Introduction Walking Tour

Tunis Introduction Walking Tour

Tunis is the capital of Tunisia and one of the largest cities in the Arab world. Tunis was a Berber settlement founded on and around the ancient city of Carthage. The settlement of Tunis dates as far back as the 4th century BCE. It became the capital city in 1159.

The city was controlled by numerous empires over the years, which has lent to its interesting art and architecture. With influences...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Carthage Walking Tour

Carthage Walking Tour

Carthage is a modern, upscale seaside suburb of Tunis and a unique place of archaeological and cultural value, situated at the site of an ancient capital of the Carthaginian (Punic) civilization, which fell to Rome in the 2nd century BC.

The settlement was founded by the Phoenicians in the first millennium BC and, after being destroyed by the Romans in the course of three Punic Wars, emerged...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.0 Km or 2.5 Miles

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