Bizerte, Tunisia Tourism

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canal, with the modern European quarter at the point where the canal enters the lake.

Bizerte, chief town of the governorate of the same name, is one of the country's leading commercial ports, exporting oil, iron ore, cereals, cork, cement and other bulk goods. The principal imports are timber, building materials and coal (mostly used in the Menzel Bourguiba steelworks on the south side of the lake). Also of economic importance are the cement industry, a tyre-manufacturing plant, a porcelain factory and an oil refinery. In recent years Bizerte has developed into a popular seaside resort. Along the Corniche (coast road) are extensive dunes and beautiful uncrowded beaches.

History

Bizerte was originally the Phoenician trading station of Hippo Diarrhytus, founded in the ninth century B.C., soon after Carthage. The Phoenicians built the first canal linking the lake with the sea. In 310 B.C. the town was captured by Agathocles, tyrant of Syracuse. In Roman times it had a military garrison and exported corn to Rome. In A.D. 661 it was taken by the Arabs and renamed Benzert. In the 13th century the Arab town enjoyed a first period of prosperity as the residence of the Hafsid ruler El Mostansir Bihillah. In the 15th and 16th centuries Moors expelled from Spain built the Andalusian quarter to the north of the old town and established an important trading center. In 1535 the town was captured by Spanish forces. In 1572 it was taken by the Turks, under whose rule it became notorious as a pirates' lair. Under the French protectorate Bizerte became a naval base (1881). During the Second World War it was occupied by the Germans and suffered heavy damage in air attacks.

After the war Bizerte remained an important French military base, which was evacuated only on October 15th 1963 (seven years after Tunisia officially became independent), following violent rioting and heavy loss of life. October 15th is now celebrated as the Fête de l'Evacuation.

Access

Bizerte lies 65km/40mi north of Tunis on GP 8 (Tunis-Bizerte). There are regular bus connections with Tunis, Menzel Bourguiba, Mateur and Tabarka and rail connections with Tunis and Tabarka (via Mateur).