Djerba
| Djerba | ||
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| Waters | Libyan Sea , Mediterranean | |
| Geographical location | 33 ° 47 ' N , 10 ° 53' E | |
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| length | 31 km | |
| width | 31 km | |
| surface | 514 km² | |
| Highest elevation | Dhahret Guellala 53 m |
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| Residents | 163,726 (April 23, 2014) 319 inhabitants / km² |
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| main place | Houmt Souk | |
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Djerba ([ dʒ- ], Arabic جربة Djirba ,DMG Ǧirba ), Tunisian-Arabic [ ʒɪrbæ ], is a flat island on the east coast ofTunisiain the Gulf ofGabès. With 514 km² it is the largest island inNorth Africa. The main town isHoumt Souk. Among the almost 164,000 island residents in the 2014 census, mostlyBerbers, there has been aJewish communityfor many centuries. The island is connected to the mainland by theRoman dam.
history
According to a legend, Djerba is the island of the lotophages , to which Odysseus came on his wandering through the Mediterranean Sea.
The island, which existed until the third century BC. BC Meninx was the site of three important cities. One of them, whose current name is Būrgū, is located near Midoun in the center of the island. Another city on the south-eastern coast in the area of today's archaeological excavation site Meninx was, according to Pliny the Elder, the second most important place for purple production next to the Phoenician Tire in today's Lebanon . A third important city was the ancient Haribus. During Roman and Byzantine times, the island was densely populated and probably imported most of the grain that was consumed by the people. The island also appears on Peutinger's tablet from the 4th century.
In the Middle Ages, Djerba was occupied by the Ibadites, who claimed the island for themselves. The Christian communities of Sicily and Aragon challenged this claim. Remains from this period can be found in several small mosques from the twelfth century, as well as in two extensive fortifications.
The island was under the rule of the Sicilian kingdom twice, from 1135 to 1158 and from 1284 to 1333. In the second period of rule the island was a feudal territory, with the following lords of Djerba: 1284 - 1305 Roger І, 1305 - 1307 and 1307 - 1310 Roger ІІ, 1310 Charles, 1310 Francis-Roger ІІІ; there were also two royal rulers whose reigns partly overlap with those of the lords of Djerba: 1305 - 1308 Simon de Montelieu, 1308 - 1315 Ramon Muntaner.
In 1503 the Corsican brothers Arudsch (Oruç) and Khair ad-Din Barbarossa took over the island and turned it into their main base in the Mediterranean, so that Djerba was henceforth under Ottoman control. Spain suffered a disastrous defeat in an attempt to conquer it in November 1510. In 1513 the three-year exile of the Fregosi family ended and they returned to Genoa from Rome . Ottaviano was elected Doge and his brother, Archbishop and later Cardinal Federigo Fregoso was appointed as army leader to defend the republic against internal threats (revolts of the Adorni and Fieschi), as well as external threats, especially against oppression by barbarian corsairs . Cortogoli, a corsair from Tunis, blocked the coast with a flotilla and in a few days had captured eighteen merchants. Federigo surprised Cortogoli with the Genoese fleet off Bizerta , in which Andrea Doria also served. Shortly afterwards he occupied the island and returned to Genoa with a large booty.
Spanish fleets returned to Djerba in 1520 and this time they were able to successfully occupy the island. It was occupied by Spain twice, from 1521 to 1524 and from 1551 to 1560.
On May 14, 1560, the Ottoman fleet, under the command of Piale Pascha and Turgut Reis, defeated the "Holy League" of King Philip ІІ of Spain in the naval battle of Djerba. From that moment until 1881 Djerba fell under the Ottoman rule in Tunis.
Subsequently, Djerba belonged to the colonialist protectorate of France, from which today's Republic of Tunisia emerged.
Archaeological field research on Djerba, carried out between 1995 and 2000 under the auspices of the University of Pennsylvania , the American Academy in Rome and the Tunisian Institute National du Patrimoine , has discovered 400 archaeological sites, including many Punic and Roman villas.
On April 11, 2002, an attack was carried out on tourists visiting the El Ghriba Synagogue . A truck loaded with 5000 liters of liquefied gas hit the synagogue and exploded. 19 tourists died as a result of the attack (14 of them from Germany); another 30 people were injured, some seriously.
tourism
Djerba is a popular travel destination . Especially on the east coast, numerous tourist facilities have emerged in the last few decades, especially for price-conscious package tourists, who u. a. appreciate the water sports. The north-eastern coastal strip in particular has long sandy beaches. The “pirate trips” with ancient-looking boats on the six-kilometer-long Flamingo Peninsula are particularly popular.
The ferries between the island (Ajim) and the mainland (Jorf) run the 2.5 kilometer sea route regularly in the high season . The international airport is eight kilometers west of Houmt Souk . A navigable 6.5 km long dam connects the island to the south with the mainland. It is broken about in the middle to ensure water exchange with the lagoon . On the dam, a pipeline runs parallel to the road , with which drinking water is transported from the Medenine area to the island. Without this water supply, intensive tourism on the island would be inconceivable. 80 percent of the water is used to supply tourists, only 20 percent is used by the local population.
The Roman path at Al-Kantara is one of the relics of Roman buildings on the island.
Attractions
Synagogues
One of the oldest and most famous synagogues in the world, the el-Ghriba Synagogue , is located a few kilometers southwest of Houmt Souk. The Hara Seghira Synagogue was built in the 1930s.
Underground mosque
About three kilometers behind Sedouikech, between kilometer stone 32 and 33 on the way to El Kantara, there is an underground mosque on the right . The facility, located in an olive grove, is a bit difficult to find as it is not signposted. It is freely accessible.
Roman dam
To the south, the island is connected to the mainland by a seven-kilometer-long and ten-meter-wide dam. The dam goes back to Roman times, possibly even to Punic times. Later the dam was flooded by the sea. During Dragut's clashes with the Spaniards , it was breached around 1551 for security reasons. It was restored after the Second World War . The island is also supplied with drinking water via a pipeline along the dam.
Houmt Souk
Houmt Souk has about 65,000 inhabitants and is the capital of Djerba. The place has a long trading tradition. Several old caravanserais testify to this. The Romans founded a place called Griba here. In Houmt Souk there are many tourist shops, the administration of the island and a small fishing port. Worth seeing is the Bordj-el-Kebir fortress (a pirate fortress ) and the folklore museum.
Fort
The picturesque ruins of a fortress built in 1289 by the Spanish conqueror Roger de Loria , which is located on a headland about ten kilometers from El Kantara. In the 15th century the fortress was expanded. Today the place can only be reached with off-road vehicles at low tide.
Meninx
Meninx is an archaeological site on the southeast coast near the Roman Dam. It is an ancient city founded by the Phoenicians. The extension is about two kilometers by 0.8 kilometers - some of it may also be below sea level. There is no more detailed data on this because no thorough excavations have taken place yet. In Roman times it was the capital of the island and had thermal baths , an amphitheater , theater, basilica and possibly also a forum .
Midoun
Central city on Djerba. There is a market every Friday and there are plenty of old bazaar shops as well as modern department stores where there is no bargaining.
Guellala
The famous Tunisian ceramics are made in Guellala. For a small fee, tourists can watch the locals doing it.
Djerbahood
The street art project Djerbahood was launched in the village of Erriadh in 2014 , in which 150 artists created a total of 250 wall art.
Climate and vegetation
The island's vegetation is characterized by palm , pomegranate and olive trees as well as prickly pear cacti with their prickly fruits. With the help of artificial irrigation, intensive horticulture is carried out. The climate is mild and sunny. With more than 3,000 hours of sunshine annually and 200 mm of annual precipitation, the mean temperature in winter is 13.6 ° C and in summer 26 ° C. The beaches are therefore ideal for beach holidays.
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Average monthly temperatures and rainfall for Djerba
Source: wetterkontor.de
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Individual evidence
- ^ Official inventory, July 20, 2002 in Tunis, El Fadel El Malki, Central Directorate for Judicial Police, Sub-Directorate of the Criminal Affair
- ↑ Brockhaus Encyclopedia. 19th edition. Volume 5, 1988.
