Carthage - Cathedral of St-Louis

The Cathedral, in Moorish/Byzantine style, was built in 1890 and is dedicated to St Louis of France (King Louis IX), who died here in 1270 during the siege of Tunis. The largest church in North Africa, it was until 1965 the seat of the Archbishop of Carthage and Primate of Africa. It belonged to the monastery of the Pères Blancs (White Fathers), a missionary order founded by Cardinal Lavigerie whose declared aim was the reconquest of North Africa for Christianity. The White Fathers had established themselves on the Byrsa Hill in 1881, and in addition to their missionary work had begun to collect antiquities. The Cathedral and conventual buildings - which now house the National Archeological Museum - became state property in 1964.