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Souk El Berka is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis. The market traders specialize in the jewellery trade.
The souk is located near the kasbah, the seat of the head of government, Dar El Bey and other souks, for example Souk El Bey, Souk Ech-Chaouachine, and
Souk el berka Tunis 04.JPG, Arches of Souk El berka
Souk el berka Tunis 02.JPG, A dome in Souk El berka
Plaque métallique indiquant le souk El Birka سوق البركة.jpg, Metallic plaque of Souk El Berka
Soukelb.JPG, The shops
Bazar - Tunis - Tunisia - 1899.jpg, Souk El Berka in 1899
Berkaor.JPG, A Gold shop in Souk El Berka
Presentation of the souk (Municipality of Tunis)
* Virtual visit o
Souk El Berka
{{Coord missing, Tunisia Berka 1612 establishments in the Ottoman Empire 1612 establishments in Africa
Souk El Berka is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis. The market traders specialize in the jewellery trade.
History
El Berka was built by Yusuf Dey in 1612 and was meant to sellslaves
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
coming from the Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa, East Africa, Central Africa, and Southern Africa. Geopolitically, in addition to the List of sov ...
. Slaves of European origin, considered rarer and more precious, were not sold in the souk but in private locations because the sale concerned only wealthy potential buyers. This souk turned into a jewelers' souk after the abolition of slavery in Tunisia, decreed by Ahmad I ibn Mustafa
Ahmed I ( ar, أبو العباس أحمد باشا باي), born 2 December 1805 in TunisIbn Abi Dhiaf, ''Présent des hommes de notre temps. Chroniques des rois de Tunis et du pacte fondamental'', vol. IV, éd. Maison tunisienne de l'édition, ...
in 1846.
Location
The souk is located near the kasbah, the seat of the head of government, Dar El Bey and other souks, for example Souk El Bey, Souk Ech-Chaouachine, and Souk El Leffa
Souk El Leffa ( ar, سوق اللَفة), also called Souk of Djerbians, is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis. It is called as such because it was mainly occupied by merchants from the Tunisian island of Djerba.
Location
The souk is situa ...
. It is perpendicular to Souk El Trouk (Turks).
Architecture
Located at the crossroads of four streets, Souk El Berka takes a square shape and has three aisles separated by two rows of columns. Formerly a wooden platform at the centre was the place where slaves were presented (that was the origin of the name ''berka'') and waited for the outcome of the sale. The place was covered by a central dome and several side vaults.References
External links
*Presentation of the souk (Municipality of Tunis)
* Virtual visit o
Souk El Berka
{{Coord missing, Tunisia Berka 1612 establishments in the Ottoman Empire 1612 establishments in Africa