Tunisia – formerly known as Ifriqiya, occupies a predominant place in the history of Mediterranean art. Heavily urbanised during Phoenician and Roman times, it was enriched by a number of monuments and saw itself as the heir to an old architectural and urban tradition, guaranteeing its transmission into Islamic art. Tunisia possesses a rich cultural heritage, spread over 13 centuries, and presents itself as the Maghreb country that has kept and conserved the greatest number of original works. The north of Tunisia includes significant monuments commissioned by the dynasties which ruled Ifriqiya over the centuries, from the first Muslim conquerors to the Aghlabides, Fatimids, Zirids, Almohads, Hafsids and Ottomans. Every mosque, zawiya (religious school), dar (house) and port displays the rich artistic exchange between ancient and local techniques and magnificent Andalusian and Eastern influences in architecture and ornamentation.

Southern Tunisia - displays some of the best examples of Islamic art connected to the life and trades that flourished over the centuries along the routes of the oases and caravans, a journey from Tunis and Kairouan to the region known as Bilad al-Jarid, connecting Maghreb and Mashreq, the coast and interior Africa. Many people left traces of their techniques, which gave birth to a particular art and architecture, based on available building material – wood, brick – to build houses and religious buildings (such as the jamur minarets) beautifully enriched with naturalistic, calligraphic and textile patterns. But southern Tunisia has other beauties to be discovered: from the troglodyte houses in Matmata to the Ibadite architecture in Gerba, the island that was the refuge of Ibadite groups in the 10th century and of the corsaire Dragut in the 16th century.