Tourbet El Bey, Tunis

Tourbet El Bey is the Ottoman mausoleum of the Husseinite dynasty that ruled Tunisia for more than two centuries. The marble graves of almost all the Husseinite Beys lay there, along with those of their families and their favorite ministers and court people. The mausoleum was erected during the reign of Ali Bey II (1759-1782). The graves occupy the patio and a set of rooms crested with domes that are sometimes covered with green tiles. The walls are adorned with polychrome faience tiles in the outdoor space and with ceramic tiles and finely worked stucco on the ceiling domes inside the rooms. The most richly decorated room, partly covered with wrought marble, is the one that houses the graves of the beys who ruled the country. The male graves are topped with some epitaphs that are characterized by a marble tarbouch (an ottoman hat) or a marble turban, whereas the female graves enjoy simple marble plates. The entrance fee is 2 TND. -N.L.