The Skifa Kahla (

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

: السقيفة الكحلة), also known as Bab Zouila, is a

fortification A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Lati ...

of the 10th century, the structure is one of the few remnants of the ancient walls of

Mahdia Mahdia ( ') is a Tunisian coastal city with 76,513 inhabitants, south of Monastir, Tunisia, Monastir and southeast of Sousse. Mahdia is a provincial centre north of Sfax. It is important for the associated fish-processing industry, as well as w ...

Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...

. The building was built by the Fatimids, in which it was used as the main fort to protect the access to the city. The fort is one of the few remnants of the ancient ramparts, as well as being one of the access points to the historic center of Mahdia.

History

The construction of the building dates back to 916. The building was constructed by the order of the first

Fatimid caliph This is a list of an Arab dynasty, the Shi'ite caliphs of the Fatimid dynasty (909–1171). The Shi'ite caliphs were also regarded at the same time as the imams of the Isma'ili branch of Shi'a Islam Shia Islam is the second-largest br ...

Abd Allah al-Mahdi Billah Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn al-Ḥusayn (; 31 July 874 – 4 March 934), better known by his regnal name al-Mahdī biʾllāh (, "The Rightly Guided by God"), was the founder of the Isma'ili Fatimid Caliphate, the only major Shi'a caliphate i ...

. The design of the structure is based on

Fatimid architecture The Fatimid architecture that developed in the Fatimid Caliphate (909–1167 CE) of North Africa combined elements of eastern and western architecture, drawing on Abbasid architecture, Byzantine, Ancient Egyptian, Coptic architecture and N ...

. In the 11th century, modifications were made to the building to accommodate more artillery made by the Turks, rooms and warehouses were also built to house weapons and ammunition. The building has survived the siege of the city of Mahdia executed by the monarch

Charles V Charles V may refer to: Kings and Emperors * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise Others * Charles V, Duke ...

. For a time, the building was the only land entrance to the city of Mahdia. The building served as a defense to prevent Christian invasions as well as imperial wars to the city of Mahdia. According to historians, including some from Spain, it is said that the name "Skifa Kahla" means "Dark Vestibule" (French: Vestibule Noir). In 1554, a group of Spaniards blew up the entrance to the building. After the attacks by the Spaniards, the building underwent several modifications. At the end of the 16th century, the building's wall system was rebuilt by Turks. Skifa Kahla served as the main tower for the second line of defense of the city. In 2015, several concrete restorations were made to the building. The building renovations were conducted by the Tunisian National Heritage Institute to commemorate the 1200th anniversary of the founding of the city of Mahdia.

Structure

The tower of the building is surrounded by walls built during the Ottoman era. The height of the tower counts 18.5 meters, a depth of 12.70 and a width of 12 meters, the building contains a corridor leading to the markets of the old city of Mahdia which has 6 iron doors. The building contains two polygonal projections dating from the 17th century. The structure of the fort comprises a vaulted passage which is divided into sections by gate-loops in addition to a

portcullis A portcullis () is a heavy, vertically closing gate typically found in medieval fortifications. It consists of a latticed Grille (architecture), grille made of wood and/or metal, which slides down grooves inset within each jamb of the gateway. ...

Gallery

File:Skifa Kahla, la porte donnant accès à la médina.jpg File:Mahdia 0694.JPG File:Skifa mahdia.jpg

References

{{reflist 10th-century establishments in Ifriqiya 10th-century fortifications Fortifications in Tunisia Towers in Tunisia City gates Buildings and structures in Mahdia Fatimid architecture in Tunisia Fatimid fortifications