Al-Zaytūnah

mosque, Tunis, Tunisia

Also known as: Grand Mosque of Tunis

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Al-Zaytūnah, mosque in Tunis and the seat of an important Muslim university. Dating to the 8th century, the mosque was rebuilt in the 9th century during Aghlabid rule. It subsequently became one of the most important mosques in Tunisia and was the source of the intellectual elite in the early 20th century, in particular the elements of the Destour party that led the movement for independence from the French protectorate (1881–1956). Some prominent members of the contemporary Islamist movement, such as Rachid Ghannouchi, the leader of Ennahda (Ḥizb al-Nahḍah), also graduated from the university.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Zeidan.