Tunis, Tunisia

Tunis is the capital of the state Tunis and an administrative centre villayeta Tunis. The population of the city is 880000 inhabitants. Tunis is a port on the Mediterranean Sea (with аvanport Halk-ale-Ued).
The antique settlementon the place of the city was famous yet before some centuries B.C. Scientists assume, that phinikians lived here in the VIth century up to AC. At the end of the VIIth century the city has been won by Arabs, and in the XIII-XVIth centuries it served as the capital of the state of Hafsids. In 1881-1956 Tunis was an administrative centre of the French protectorate. For this time the population of city has considerably grown, as economic and industrial boom in the capital of the protectorate involved a plenty of Europeans and Muslims. In 1956 the city has become capital of independent Tunis. Due to spend by the government of the country program of urban development Tunis could improve the living conditions.

Freakish unification of the western civilization and the Arabian Africa is today's shape of Tunis. In the city and super-modern glass-mirror buildings and white Russian church, Medina (medieval Arabian city with markets, mosques and shops are quite harmoniously combined with the central parkways constructed by the Frenchmen.
This seaport stands not on the mere beach of the sea, but on the coast of bay lake the Ale - Bakhir, or Tunisian lake. The lake is connected to the sea by a shipping canal. On the wide road crossing the lake, ride motor vehicles. In virescent water, getting stuck in pond scum, snow-white herons and pink flamingoes walk about. Close Tunis is not only white, but also very green city. Everywhere numerous flower yards, flower beds, squares. When between arbors a fountain beats, the impression is framed, that you ferment along fantastic city from «Thousand and one night ".
On the suburb of the city there is a green mass of recreational forest "Belleveder" where diverse representatives of the African flora gathered. One of places of interest of park -The huge India rubber plants in height of 20-25 m is one of the sights of the park. In the center of "Belleveder" there is well-known alabaster bower Cubba - a monument of ancient Arabian architecture.
In all the parts of the city it is possible to see diverse monuments of Muslim architecture - mosques. Except for Muslim mosques in the city there is a roman catholic cathedral on the avenue of Habib Burguib, the Jewish synagogue on the avenue de Paris and mentioned small Russian churchlet with a gold plated onion dome - bulbus. In Medina there is a well-known covered market, on Arabian – souk. Souk in Tunis is a huge labyrinth of covered twisting and very pure streets, numerous malls, where it is possible to purchase profitably leather items (bags, footwear, and clothes), items from gold and glass.

The specificity of an urban life of Tunis exists due numerous coffee houses and small restaurants where it is possible deliciously and fast have a meal. Here sell also juicy кеbabs, and shorba, and chicken with cooked cucumbers and odorous roots, and, certainly, well-known brick. In park, "Belleveder" you will be offered from trays cotton wool from powdered sugar, sugar candies on rods, sweets, and ice-cream. Hills of fruits of aboriginal cactuses on carriages of fruit dealers look very exotic and appetizing.
The city is the main trade, economic, industrial and cultural center of the country. Here there are enterprises of textile, chemical, cement, alimentary, metal-cutting industries. There is an international airport. Through the seaport of the city carpets, fruits, olive berries and iron ore are exported.
In Tunis there is a university, the Center of art crafts, National museum Bardeau, the Museum of Islamic art, a gate (the XIIIth century) and residues of walls of a citadel, flock of mosques: Big mosque (the VIIIth century, it is reconstructed in the IXth century), ale-Ksar (the XIIth century), a minaret (the XVIIth century), аle-Haua (1st half of the XIIIth century), etc.; a cult complex of the XVth century, palaces of the XVIII-XIXths  centuries, the markets (book, woolen, perfumery, etc.).