Aghlabid Basins
Kairouan
The Aghlabid Basins, located just north of Kairouan's old city, are a remarkable example of early Islamic hydraulic engineering dating back to the 9th century. Constructed under the Aghlabid Emirate between 860 and 862, these reservoirs were designed to supply water to Kairouan, a city founded in 670 in an arid region lacking natural water sources. The complex consists of two large, polygonal basins and a series of covered cisterns, built with rubble stone and coated to be waterproof. The basins functioned as settling tanks to purify and store water brought from nearby plains and mountains via a sophisticated system of dams, canals, and an aqueduct. The larger western reservoir features a central polylobed masonry pillar, believed to be the foundation of a leisure pavilion described by the 11th-century geographer al-Bakri. Water was essential not only for residents but also for livestock and caravans, supplementing private wells and cisterns. The basins reflect the advanced engineering and urban planning of the Aghlabid period and remain a significant historic landmark in Tunisia.
ヒント: Visitors should explore the basins during cooler morning hours to avoid the midday heat and better appreciate the site's architecture. Purchasing tickets in advance is advisable during peak tourist seasons. There may be discounts for students and groups. Guided tours can enhance understanding of the site's historical and engineering significance.
興味深い事実
- •The larger basin is a 48-sided polygon with a diameter of 128 metres and a capacity exceeding 57,000 cubic metres.
- •The central polylobed masonry pillar may have supported an octagonal leisure pavilion topped by a dome, as described by al-Bakri.
- •Water was channeled from the Shreshira Mountains 36 km away via an aqueduct that reused Roman infrastructure.
- •The basins served not only residents but also livestock and caravans, supplementing private wells in times of drought.
- •A 70-metre elevated section of the Fatimid-era aqueduct still survives near Haffouz.
歴史
Kairouan was founded in 670 by Arab-Muslim conquerors in an arid steppe region without nearby rivers.
Early attempts to secure water included 15 reservoirs ordered by Umayyad caliph Hisham in the 8th century, though these no longer survive.
The surviving Aghlabid Basins were commissioned by Abu Ibrahim Ahmad between 860 and 862, supervised by Khalaf al-Fata.
They served as critical water storage and purification systems for the city, supplied by canals and an aqueduct from the Shreshira Mountains.
In 961, Fatimid caliph al-Mu'izz refurbished the aqueduct, enhancing the water supply system.
Over centuries, these basins have stood as enduring monuments of medieval Islamic water management.
場所ガイド
Smaller Basin9th century
A 17-sided polygonal basin measuring 37.4 metres in diameter, serving as the initial settling tank where sediments were deposited before water flowed into the larger basin.
Larger Western Basin860-862
A 48-sided polygonal reservoir 128 metres in diameter and 4.8 metres deep, used for storing and further filtering water. It includes two covered rectangular cisterns with vaulted ceilings pierced by openings for water drawing.
Central Polylobed Masonry Pillar9th century
Located in the middle of the larger basin, this pillar likely formed the foundation of an octagonal leisure pavilion topped by a dome, described by al-Bakri in the 11th century.
Aqueduct from Shreshira Mountains9th century, refurbished 961
An aqueduct bringing water from springs 36 km west of Kairouan, built during the Aghlabid period reusing Roman infrastructure and refurbished in 961 by Fatimid caliph al-Mu'izz.