The Great Mosque of Kairouan is one of the most impressive and largest Islamic monuments in North Africa. It is situated in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Kairouan, Tunisia12.
The mosque was founded in 670 AD by the Arab general Uqba ibn Nafi who conquered North Africa. The mosque was later rebuilt in the 9th century by the Aghlabid dynasty3.
The Great Mosque of Kairouan is considered one of the most important Islamic universities in the world. It was a center of education both in Islamic thought and in the secular sciences. Its role at the time can be compared to that of the University of Paris in the Middle Ages42.
