Djerba is a Tunisian island in the Gulf of Gabès and the largest island off North Africa. The island had a population of 163,726 at the 2014 census. Citing its long and unique history, Tunisia has sought UNESCO World Heritage status protections for the island, and, in 2023, Djerba was officially designated a World Heritage Site.
The Amazigh of Jerba identify as Berbers. As a result, their culture is starkly different from mainstream Tunisian society. They preserve many of their traditions and unique architecture of whitewashed domed houses.
Legend has it that Djerba was the island of the lotus-eaters where Odysseus was stranded on his voyage through the Mediterranean Sea.
Since the dawn of history, Djerba has moved from one occupier to another, and the first to occupy it were some inhabitants of the islands of the Aegean Sea, who stayed there for a long period before the arrival of the Phoenicians, during which they introduced tree planting and pottery making. Thus, the Greeks preceded other peoples in coexisting with the inhabitants of Djerba.
In the 12th century BCE. The Phoenicians who came from the cities of Tyre and Sidon landed there. During this period, trade flourished in Djerba, thus spreading the pottery industry and the manufacture of purple. The Phoenicians introduced the planting of olive trees and the pressing of oil.
After the Phoenicians came the Romans and the island witnessed great prosperity, the urban effects of which can still be seen today. They were followed by the Vandals. In the Middle Ages came the power of Islam. The Arab armies turned to jihad and conquest outside the Arabian Peninsula, and Djerba was conquered in 665.
The Ottomans and the Spanish intervened in Tunisia in 1534. The Spaniards settled in the huge castle that they had built in La Goulette. The Ottoman Sultan Selim II decided to eradicate the Spaniards from Tunisia for strategic reasons. With the help of the local people, the Ottomans were able to storm the huge fortress of La Goulette, seizing control of Tunisia and removing the Spanish in 1574 Tunisia into an Ottoman province.
In the 19th century European colonialism saw French intervention in 1881. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the island witnessed radical transformations, and following independence, Djerba became one of the most prominent Tunisian tourist attractions and a destination for tourists from all over the world.
Though a small island, Djerba contains the ingredients of many people’s idea of the ideal holiday vacation: soft, sandy beaches, warm Mediterranean waters, loads of activities, and an array of shops selling a good range of local handicrafts. It also sports a maze of cobblestone streets and a history of ethnic and religious diversity more pronounced than in the rest of the country.
Legend has it that Djerba was the island of the lotus-eaters where Odysseus was stranded on his voyage through the Mediterranean Sea.
Since the dawn of history, Djerba has moved from one occupier to another, and the first to occupy it were some inhabitants of the islands of the Aegean Sea, who stayed there for a long period before the arrival of the Phoenicians, during which they introduced tree planting and pottery making. Thus, the Greeks preceded other peoples in coexisting with the inhabitants of Djerba.
In the 12th century BCE. The Phoenicians who came from the cities of Tyre and Sidon landed there. During this period, trade flourished in Djerba, thus spreading the pottery industry and the manufacture of purple. The Phoenicians introduced the planting of olive trees and the pressing of oil.
After the Phoenicians came the Romans and the island witnessed great prosperity, the urban effects of which can still be seen today. They were followed by the Vandals. In the Middle Ages came the power of Islam. The Arab armies turned to jihad and conquest outside the Arabian Peninsula, and Djerba was conquered in 665.
The Ottomans and the Spanish intervened in Tunisia in 1534. The Spaniards settled in the huge castle that they had built in La Goulette. The Ottoman Sultan Selim II decided to eradicate the Spaniards from Tunisia for strategic reasons. With the help of the local people, the Ottomans were able to storm the huge fortress of La Goulette, seizing control of Tunisia and removing the Spanish in 1574 Tunisia into an Ottoman province.
In the 19th century European colonialism saw French intervention in 1881. During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the island witnessed radical transformations, and following independence, Djerba became one of the most prominent Tunisian tourist attractions and a destination for tourists from all over the world.
Though a small island, Djerba contains the ingredients of many people’s idea of the ideal holiday vacation: soft, sandy beaches, warm Mediterranean waters, loads of activities, and an array of shops selling a good range of local handicrafts. It also sports a maze of cobblestone streets and a history of ethnic and religious diversity more pronounced than in the rest of the country.
Djerba Traditional Heritage Museum
Good things often come in small packages, and that is certainly the case at this modestly sized but extremely impressive museum. Occupying a curvaceous purpose-built structure next to the Zaouia of Sidi Zitouni about 200m from the town centre, it houses expertly curated and displayed exhibits on traditional Djerban life and culture. There are sections on costumes, the island's Jewish history, ceremonies, agriculture, the pottery industry, fishing and food. Labels in Arabic, French and English impart loads of fascinating facts and information.
Good things often come in small packages, and that is certainly the case at this modestly sized but extremely impressive museum. Occupying a curvaceous purpose-built structure next to the Zaouia of Sidi Zitouni about 200m from the town centre, it houses expertly curated and displayed exhibits on traditional Djerban life and culture. There are sections on costumes, the island's Jewish history, ceremonies, agriculture, the pottery industry, fishing and food. Labels in Arabic, French and English impart loads of fascinating facts and information.
El Ghriba
The most important synagogue on Djerba and the oldest in Tunisia, this 19th-century building is in a white compound 1km south of the medina. Pass through the external security check (bring your passport) and enter the synagogue to see its lovely interior, which features columns painted in blue, multicoloured tiles, stained glass and wooden furniture. The inner sanctuary, with its elevated pulpit, is said to contain one of the oldest Torahs in the world.
According to legend, there has been a synagogue on this site for two millennia, dating back to either the High Priests' escape following the destruction of Solomon's Temple by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar II in 586 BC or the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70. A pilgrimage takes place every year on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, in between Pesach and Shavuot.
The most important synagogue on Djerba and the oldest in Tunisia, this 19th-century building is in a white compound 1km south of the medina. Pass through the external security check (bring your passport) and enter the synagogue to see its lovely interior, which features columns painted in blue, multicoloured tiles, stained glass and wooden furniture. The inner sanctuary, with its elevated pulpit, is said to contain one of the oldest Torahs in the world.
According to legend, there has been a synagogue on this site for two millennia, dating back to either the High Priests' escape following the destruction of Solomon's Temple by the Babylonians under Nebuchadnezzar II in 586 BC or the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70. A pilgrimage takes place every year on the 33rd day of the Counting of the Omer, in between Pesach and Shavuot.
Borj Ghazi Mustapha
Built in the 13th-century by the Aragonese, this fort was captured by the Ottomans in 1560 and has been allowed to slowly crumble in recent times – be careful when exploring and don't rely on the protective barriers, which aren't well maintained.
Built in the 13th-century by the Aragonese, this fort was captured by the Ottomans in 1560 and has been allowed to slowly crumble in recent times – be careful when exploring and don't rely on the protective barriers, which aren't well maintained.
Guellala Mosque
This 15th-century waterfront mosque found 1.5km south of Guellala is a fine example of Djerban Islamic architecture, and a favourite spot for watching the sunset.
Zaouia & Mosque of Sidi Brahim El Jemni
This 17th-century tomb of local saint Sidi Brahim is located in a compound with a mosque of the same name. It's one of the town's major landmarks.
This 15th-century waterfront mosque found 1.5km south of Guellala is a fine example of Djerban Islamic architecture, and a favourite spot for watching the sunset.
Zaouia & Mosque of Sidi Brahim El Jemni
This 17th-century tomb of local saint Sidi Brahim is located in a compound with a mosque of the same name. It's one of the town's major landmarks.
