24 February 5, 2017 Travel www.thearabweekly.com Agenda Muscat: Through March 24th The first Festival of India in Oman includes Indian clas- sical and folk dances, Indian instrumental music, an exhi- bition of Indian calligraphy, an Indian food festival and a fashion show. The festival presents the diverse Indian culture, representing various traditions of Indian herit- age. Events are scheduled for Muscat, Salalah, Sur and Sohar. Dubai: Through April 8th Bab Saadoun Global Village is a large cultur- in Tunis. al event in Dubai that offers (Wikimedia Commons) an array of festivals, shop- ping and entertainment in an open-air theme park. This entertainment and shopping destination includes more than 75 participating coun- Gates of the Medina offer tries, dozens of fun rides and 26 restaurants offering food from around the world. Beirut: view of Tunis's history Through December 28th Events associated with Sur- sock Museum Late Nights take place noon-9pm each Thurs- and architecture day at the Sursock Museum. The event includes exhibi- Roua Khlifi fortified portals protecting the city. tions, collection displays, The original wall contained five late-night talks, performances gates — Bab Bhar, Bab Jdid (the New and screenings. Tunis Gate), Bab Mnara (the Gate of the Lantern), Bab Cartagena (the Gate Beirut: isitors roaming around of Carthage) and Bab Dzira (the February 15th-March 19th Tunis come across a va- Gate of the Island). riety of landmarks that Historian Mohamed Habib Al Bustan International celebrate the eclectic Azizi, a specialist in Islamic his- Festival of Music and the history of the Tunisian tory, stressed the importance of the Performing Arts is a musical Vcapital. Not far from the Avenue gates in controlling access to the celebration in various venues Habib Bourguiba, the throbbing ar- old city. They were integrated parts in Beirut. With an emphasis tery of downtown Tunis, Bab Bhar of the wall, which was built under on chamber music, the festi- — the Gate of the Sea — compels vis- the Almohads’ rule to protect the val promotes and celebrates itors to the Medina of Tunis to stop city from attacks, he said. music from all over the world and admire the majestic architec- “The old city of Tunis was totally and includes orchestral con- ture of one of the main entrances to encircled by the wall next to which certs, choral music, puppet the city. the Aghlabid princes lived at the shows, opera and dance. Bab Bhar is among the iconic beginning of the first century of Hi- gates scattered around the perim- jri (622AD). These walls were reno- Bab El Khadra Dubai: eter of the Medina to discover when vated during the centuries that fol- February 18th-28th in Tunis. While the gates are land- lowed. Some historians believe that in Tunis. (Wikimedia Commons) marks of the old town, they also ex- the Hasfid rulers rebuilt the wall. Al Marmoom Heritage Festival hibit the rich history of the city and The last records of renovations celebrates the camel and its display the aesthetics of Islamic ar- point to the Husseini era between as Cap Bon now. The second most na are sources of many tales. They importance to the region. The chitecture. 1700 and 1800,” Azizi said. important one is the Bab Cartagena, were named after either the direc- event includes professional “Bab Cartagena, Bab Bhar and which was the gateway to Carthage. tion they face or the functions they camel races that attract many Bab Dzira were at some point con- It dates to the second century Hijri served. trained participants to com- The Medina of Tunis nected through an inner wall but, (722AD),” Azizi noted. “Bab Mnara had a lantern hang- pete for titles and high-end is considered one of unfortunately, only some parts re- He explained that Bab Bhar, as ing outside. It was the only one that prizes. The tournament is a the first Arab-Muslim main today. However, one can still the name indicates, was the main was lit. It delineated the limit of the way to experience the long- admire the main gates that con- access road for merchants arriving markets, which were adjacent to standing Emirati pastime cities of the Maghreb. nected the wall and which still ex- from the sea to reach the Medina. It the wall,” ben Saidane said. “As for with cultural and traditional ist in good shape showcasing the was rebuilt in 1860 and was known the gate of Bab Bhar, it overlooked shows planned around the Located in a fertile plain of north- beauty of Islamic architecture,” as the gate of France during the pe- the quarters of the European set- camel races. eastern Tunisia, the Medina of Tu- Azizi added. riod of French colonisation. tlers, including the British embassy nis dates to the seventh century The city gates used to open at The gates invite visitors to ex- and the French city that was built Doha: and is considered one of the first dawn and close after sunset and, plore markets and alleys nearby, of- during the period of France’s colo- February 22nd-May 21st Arab-Muslim cities of the Maghreb although some have disappeared, fering a glimpse of the structure of nisation.” and among the wealthiest in the Is- areas of the town are named after life and society back then. As the city expanded, up to 24 Picasso-Giacometti is an exhi- lamic world. Given its historical and the entrances. Jamal ben Saidane, a member of gates were added for different func- bition that begins at the Fire military importance, the UNESCO “The oldest gate is Bab Dzira. It the Association of Cartagena for the tions but many were destroyed, ben Station Artist in Residence World Heritage Site was surround- used to connect the city of Tunis to promotion of the patrimony of the Saidane explained. Bab Saadoun, centre in Doha. The exhibi- ed by a defensive wall with several the island of Chrik, which is known Medina, said the gates of the Medi- which overlooked areas surround- tion includes more than 80 ing the Medina and other gates works from collections of the served as security towers and spots Musée National Picasso and to control the movement of travel- the Foundation Giacometti lers. Some gates were entrances for in Paris, including The She people and others were trade points Goat (1950) by Pablo Picasso as markets thrived near the gates. and Alberto Giacometti’s Tall “Bab Saadoun was named after Woman (1960). a saint, Sidi Bou Saadoun. It was first built [in] 1350 on the edge of Marrakech: the suburb of Bab Souika. It origi- March 23rd-April 2nd nally had only one narrow arch but was replaced in 1881 by a gate with The fourth Marrakech Dance three arches. It also controlled the Festival hosts dance teachers routes to Beja, Bizerte and El Kef,” and participants from around ben Saidane said. the world for workshops, The tour of the gates is an enrich- dance classes, conferences ing way to explore the history and and live performances. architecture of the Medina. With its souqs, urban fabric, residential quarters, monuments and gates, We welcome submissions of the Medina constitutes a prototype calendar items related to of ancient heritage among the best cultural events of interest to conserved in the Islamic world. travellers in the Middle East and North Africa. Roua Khlifi is a regular Travel and Bab Bhar in Tunis. Please send tips to: Culture contributor to The Arab (Wikimedia Commons) [email protected] Weekly. She is based in Tunis..