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Castles in Tunisia

33 landmarks in the Castle Map atlas — every one mapped with a photo and its story, 22 with sourced founding dates, ranked by Wikipedia coverage and real readership.

The most famous castle in Tunisia is Ksar Ouled Soltane, ranked #1,215 of 9,079 in the world — followed by Borj El Kebir and Ribat of Monastir.

The Castle Map atlas charts 20 fortresses, 12 palaces & châteaux and 1 ruin in Tunisia. They span more than 20 centuries — from Kasbah of Béja (founded c. 150 BC) to Palace of Kheireddine (1860). Every one is plotted with its photo and story on the interactive castle map of Tunisia.

Map of castles in Tunisia

On the map they cluster thickest around Tunis — 17 within a 100 km day trip. The northernmost is Sidi Ali El Mekki Fort, the southernmost Borj le Bœuf — about 552 km apart.

Planning a visit? Day-trip guides: Castles near Tunis.

See them on the map →

When they were built

Of the 33 landmarks mapped in Tunisia, 22 carry a sourced founding date. Most were founded in the 16th century — 5 of them. 6 predate 1500 and 6 were built after 1700.

All 33 castles in Tunisia

Ksar Ouled Soltane
Fortress · 17th century · #1 in Tunisia
Ksar Ouled Soltane is a fortified granary, or ksar, located in the Tataouine district in southern Tunisia.
Borj El Kebir
Fortress · 14th century · #2 in Tunisia
Borj El Kebir, also known as Borj El Ghazi Mustapha, is an ancient castle in Houmt El Souk, Tunisia on the island of Djerba.
Ribat of Monastir
Fortress · 8th century · #3 in Tunisia
The Ribat of Monastir is a ribat, an Islamic defensive structure, in Monastir, Tunisia.
Dar El Bey
Palace & château · 17th century · #4 in Tunisia
Dar El Bey, also known as the government palace is an old palace in the medina of Tunis, more precisely in the city's Kasbah.
Kelibia Fort
Fortress · 16th century · #5 in Tunisia
Kelibia Fort is a citadel built in the sixteenth century, situated on a rocky promontory 150 meters high overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the…
Ribat of Sousse
Fortress · 8th century · #6 in Tunisia
Ribat of Sousse is a ribat in the city of Sousse, Tunisia. Although scholars differ on the chronology of its original construction, it was most…
Dar Hussein
Palace & château · #7 in Tunisia
Dar Hussein, is an old palace in the medina of Tunis. It is located in 4 the castle's place in Bab Mnara district.
Dar Othman
Palace & château · 16th century · #8 in Tunisia
Dar Othman is one of the palaces of the medina of Tunis. The residence is located in the south of the medina, 16 El Mebazaâ Street.
Zarrouk Palace
Palace & château · 19th century · #9 in Tunisia
The Royal Palace of Carthage or nowadays Zarrouk Palace was a residence of the Tunisian Kings, in Carthage, Tunisia.
Dar Ben Abdallah
Palace & château · 18th century · #10 in Tunisia
Dar Ben Abdallah is an old palace in the medina of Tunis. It is located in the south district of the Medina of Tunis, near Tourbet El Bey.
Palace of Saheb Ettabaâ
Palace & château · 19th century · #11 in Tunisia
Saheb Ettabaâ Palace is an old palace in the Medina of Tunis. It is located in south-west of the Halfaouine square.
Dar El Monastiri
Palace & château · 19th century · #12 in Tunisia
Dar El Monastiri is a palace in the Medina of Tunis. It is located in 9 El Monastiri Street near Sidi Mahrez mausoleum.
Dar Bach Hamba
Palace & château · 17th century · #13 in Tunisia
Palace of the Medina of Tunis
Dar Ibn Abi Dhiaf
Palace & château · #14 in Tunisia
Dar Ibn Abi Dhiaf is a palace in the medina of Tunis, located near the Pasha Street and Sidi Mahrez Mosque, in the Ibn Abi Diaf dead end.
Mohamedia Palace
Ruin · 19th century · #15 in Tunisia
Mohamedia Palace was a palace of the Tunisian Beys, in the town of Mohamedia, Tunisia.
Kasbah of Le Kef
Fortress · 16th century · #16 in Tunisia
Kasbah of Le Kef is a kasbah fortification in the city of El Kef, Tunisia. The kasbah was constructed in 1600 during the Ottoman rule of the local…
Kasbah of Sfax
Fortress · 9th century · #17 in Tunisia
Kasbah of Sfax is a kasbah, an Islamic desert fortress, located in the southwestern corner of the ancient city of Sfax.
Dar Daouletli
Palace & château · 17th century · #18 in Tunisia
Dar Daouletli is an old palace in the medina of Tunis. The palace got its name from one of his previous owners, the daouletli or dey.
Palace of Kheireddine
Palace & château · 19th century · #19 in Tunisia
Hayreddin Palace is an old palace in the Medina of Tunis. It is the current Museum of Tunis.
Ksar Chenini
Fortress · 12th century · #20 in Tunisia
Ksar Chenini is a ksar located in Chenini in the governorate of Tataouine, Tunisia.
Palace Abdellia
Palace & château · 15th century · #21 in Tunisia
Abdellia Palace is a palace located in La Marsa, a town in the northern suburbs of the capital of Tunisia, Tunis.
Kasbah of Béja
Fortress · 2nd century BC · #22 in Tunisia
The Kasbah of Béja is a historical citadel in the Tunisian city Béja. The Kasbah was built in the 2nd century BC, and still exists today, which makes…
Borj Ennar
Fortress · #23 in Tunisia
Borj Ennar is one of the fortifications of the medina of Sfax. The fort is located in the southeast corner of the medina, close to Bab Diwan and Bab…
Borj Masouda
Fortress · #24 in Tunisia
Borj Masouda or Borj Lella Masouda Essamra is one of the main four fortifications of the medina of Sfax.
Bordj el Kebir
Fortress · 16th century · #25 in Tunisia
Bordj el Kebir, also called the kasbah of Mahdia, is a 16th-century Ottoman military fortress located on the peninsula of Mahdia, Tunisia.
Tabarka Fort
Fortress · 16th century · #26 in Tunisia
Tabarka Fort is a former Genoese military fort located in Tabarka, Tunisia. Founded in the 16th century by the Lomellini family of Genoa, this…
Borj le Bœuf
Fortress · #27 in Tunisia
Borj le Bœuf, or Bordj Lebœuf, sometimes spelled Borj le Bœuf, is a place situated in the desert of southern Tunisia, more precisely in the Grand Erg…
Sidi Ali El Mekki Fort
Fortress · #28 in Tunisia
Sidi Ali El Mekki Fort, also known as Borj Sidi Ali El Mekki, is a historic Ottoman fort located in the town of Ghar El Melh in the Bizerte…
Borj Ressas
Fortress · #29 in Tunisia
Borj Ressas is one of the forts of the medina of Sfax.
Ksar Magel Bel Abbès
Fortress · #30 in Tunisia
Ksar Magel Bel Abbès is a Tunisian archaeological ksar classified by the National Heritage Institute, located in the Kasserine Governorate in…
Bordj El Hassar
Fortress · #31 in Tunisia
Bordj El Hassar is a Tunisian archaeological monument classified by the National Heritage Institute, located in the Sfax Governorate in south-eastern…
Byzantine fortress of Aïn Tounga
Fortress · #32 in Tunisia
The Byzantine fortress of Aïn Tounga is a Tunisian archaeological monument classified by the National Heritage Institute, located in the Béja…
Borj El Kastil
Fortress · #33 in Tunisia
Borj El Kastil and 1,250 m of the surrounding area is a Tunisian archaeological monument classified by the National Heritage Institute, located in…

Frequently asked questions

How many castles are in Tunisia?

The Castle Map atlas maps 33 landmarks (20 fortresses · 12 palaces & châteaux · 1 ruin) in Tunisia — a curated selection of well-documented landmarks from Wikidata, not a count of every fortification ever built.

What is the most famous castle in Tunisia?

Ksar Ouled Soltane, ranked #1,215 of 9,079 worldwide in the atlas's fame ranking, founded in the 17th century.

What is the oldest castle in Tunisia?

The oldest dated landmark in the atlas in Tunisia is Kasbah of Béja, founded c. 150 BC. Earlier structures may have existed — this is the oldest with a documented founding year.

Where are most of the castles in Tunisia?

They cluster thickest around Tunis — 17 of the atlas's landmarks within 100 km.

Which castles in Tunisia are UNESCO World Heritage Sites?

Per Wikidata, 11 of the mapped landmarks hold a UNESCO World Heritage designation — inscribed in their own right or as part of an inscribed ensemble: Dar El Bey, Ribat of Sousse, Dar Hussein, Dar Othman, Dar Ben Abdallah, Palace of Saheb Ettabaâ, Dar El Monastiri, Dar Bach Hamba, Dar Ibn Abi Dhiaf, Dar Daouletli and 1 more.