Dar Ben Ayed

Dar Ben Ayed is an old palace of the Medina of Tunis. It is located in the Ben Ayed Street in Bab Jedid, near Tourbet El Bey and Souk Es Sabbaghine.

It is indexed as one of the big residences of Tunis, in the inventory of Jacques Revault, member of the Middle East & Mediterranean Studies Research Group.

History

The palace was found in the end of the 18th century by the Qaid Rajeb Ben Ayed. Many members of his family intervened in the construction like his brother the Qaid Hmida Ben Ayed, the ambassador and advisor Mohamed Ben Ayed, and his son the Qaid Abderrahmane Ben Ayed with the help of Rashid al-Shakir Sahib al-Taba'a, the main minister during the reign of Al-Husayn II ibn Mahmud .

The General Rachid Ben Abdallah Al Hanafy bought the palace and kept it under his possession until his execution by Sadok Bey in 1867.

On 18 March 1999, the residence got classified as a historical Monument.

Architecture

The palace has many apartments, commun parts, indoor gardens, rooms for supplies or Makhzens, and an oratorical. The decoration is an association of the traditional and Italian styles with white marble, painted wooden ceilings and Italian faience.

• First part: Huge makhzens, spacious vestibules (driba), an oil mill, a floor for the hosts (sraya) and some big reception rooms separated by a beautiful hall;
• Second part: a big loggia divided into alcoves, a garden, a resting room (kushk), three suites and a court.
• Third part: the master house, a floor for the hosts, makhzens and stables.
• Fourth part: ground floor with a first floor, a hosts' floor and makhzens.