The Great Mosque of Sousse is one of the most important early Islamic monuments in North Africa. Founded in 851 CE during the Aghlabid period, it is architecturally unusual: rather than following the typical courtyard-and-minaret model, it has the boxy, crenellated exterior of a fortified ribat. The minaret is recessed rather than standing free, and the overall impression from outside is less of a place of worship than of a citadel.
Inside, the prayer hall is large and serene, with rows of columns supporting arched bays — a layout that draws directly from the earlier Great Mosque of Kairouan. The mosque is still in active use, so non-Muslim visitors may only enter the courtyard and cannot access the prayer hall during prayer times. Even from the courtyard, the proportions and the quality of the stonework are impressive.