Dive In Tunisia's Aghlabid Basins

A Continuum Of Its Ancient Genius In Water Management

Photo credit: Cyrine Bouabid

The ancient town of Kairouan in Tunisia lies within a semi-arid region prone to drought, devoid of nearby rivers or natural water sources. Addressing this challenge over a millennium ago, the ingenious solution emerged in the form of the magnificent Aghlabid Basins, a remarkable feat of engineering from the Middle Ages.

Constructed in the 9th century by the Aghlabid Dynasty, these basins have sustained the water needs of Kairouan's residents for more than a thousand years. Comprising two interconnected cisterns forming an open-air reservoir, these basins are fed by a 36-mile aqueduct drawing water from the hills beyond the town. Initially, water enters the smaller pool, serving as a filtration system to remove sediments, before being channeled into the larger basin—an impressive structure measuring 16 feet deep and 420 feet in diameter.