A few kilometres southeast of Kairouan lie the remains of Mansouriya (also called Sabra or Sabra al-Mansuriyya), the former capital of the Fatimid Caliphate in North Africa. Founded in 948 AD by the Fatimid caliph al-Mansur as a palatial city adjoining Kairouan, it served as the Fatimid seat of power until the caliphate moved to their newly founded city of Cairo in 969.
Very little of Mansouriya is visible above ground today — the site has been largely robbed for building material over the centuries — but archaeological excavations have revealed the outlines of the palace complex, the circular plan of the city, and artifacts now displayed in Tunisian museums. It is not a tourist site in the conventional sense, but for visitors with a specific interest in early Islamic history it is worth the short excursion. Combine it with a walk along the outside of the Kairouan city walls for the fullest sense of the historic urban landscape.