Houmt-Souk - Bordj el Kebir

The main axis of Houmt-Souk is the Avenue Habib Bourguiba, which bisects the new town from north to south. Its northward continuation, Rue du Port, leads to the Harbor. Just before it reaches the Harbor Rue Ulysse goes off on the right, leading by way of a street on the left to the Bordj el Kebir or Bordj Ghazi Mustafa. A fort was built here in the 13th century and strengthened in the 15th; then between 1560 and 1570 the notorious corsair Dragut built the massive fortress which we see today. Extensive restoration has been carried out since 1968, and it is planned to instal a museum in the restored building. Between the fort and the Harbor can be seen a small obelisk commemorating the pyramid of skulls which Dragut erected here.