Zaouia of Sidi Sahab (Barber's Mosque)

The Zaouia of Sidi Sahab — popularly known as the Barber's Mosque — is a 17th-century religious complex containing the tomb of Abu Zamaa al-Balawi, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad. It is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Tunisia and one of the most visually spectacular buildings in Kairouan.

The exterior gives little away, but inside the complex opens into a series of courtyards decorated with extraordinary tilework and carved plaster. The 17th-century Hafsid and Ottoman craftsmen who built the zaouia were working in a tradition of North African decorative arts at its most exuberant. The Andalusian-influenced zellige tiles covering the lower walls and the carved stucco panels above them are exceptional. Non-Muslim visitors are admitted to the outer courtyards and can view much of the decoration. The interior of the tomb chamber itself is reserved for Muslim pilgrims.

Allow at least thirty minutes here — the courtyard decoration is genuinely worth studying in detail.

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The mosque is called the "Barber's Mosque" because it houses the tomb of Abu Zamaa al-Balawi, one of the companions of the Prophet Muhammad, who reportedly kept three hairs from the Prophet's beard in a locket around his neck. The complex has been a pilgrimage destination since the 7th century, which makes it one of the oldest continuously visited shrines in North Africa.

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