Ottoman architectural heritage in the Medina of Tunis: resistance through modern day artistic events

Abstract

The Traditional Medina of Tunis is a historical city center holding a remarkable architectural and cultural heritage which is a mixture of several civilizations and traces of different era. One of the most remarkable architectural traces is left by the Ottomans. The Ottoman architectural monuments left in the Medina of Tunis are reflecting a resistance in the face of gentrification.This research aims to describe the impact of modern art events and their induced hybrid representations on the Ottoman architectural heritage of the Medina of Tunis. Despite the structural changes left by commercialism, the centuries old infrastructures still possess an outlook of an authentic historical space embracing several civilizations. A qualitative research method has been chosen to achieve the goal. In the first part of this study, a brief history and an overview about the urban context of the Medina of Tunis is given. Subsequently the existing Ottoman architecture in the Medina of Tunis and the ways it has affected the existing urban atmosphere is reflected upon. To highlight the interaction of Ottoman architectural heritage and modernity, two contemporary art events are commented upon as an observation cases. The events are ‘Interference’ and ‘Dream city’ and they are held annually in the Medina of Tunis.It is concluded that modern art events are becoming a tool to express the community’s ‘psyche’ of culture. Events like ‘Interference’ are nurturing a crosscultural interaction of identities, where virtual simulations are shaping new experiences inside spiritual city walls of Medina and leading to highlight the imminent presence of Ottoman architectural heritage in this historical city center.