Carthage Palace
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Carthage Palace | |
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قصر قرطاج | |
Government of Tunisia | |
Technical details | |
Floor count | 4 |
Floor area | 40 Hectares |
Design and construction | |
Architect(s) | Olivier-Clément Cacoub |
Website | |
www |
Carthage Palace (
Complex
The palace complex has four parts: the palace proper, consisting of the central building and a private wing housing two apartments, a building for presidential security and two other buildings, one of which is used for common, administrative and financial services, and general.
Within the complex is the residence of the Swiss ambassador, a building ceded by Bourguiba after an attempted coup in 1962, as well as the archaeological site called "fountain with a thousand amphorae".
History
Originally, the palace park sheltered a residence of
Chosen by Bourguiba as the place of residence after the Essaâda palace in La Marsa, it replaced another palace in Carthage, located at the bottom of the hill, which was the main residence of the last bey of Tunis.
After the independence of Tunisia,
During Bourguiba's presidency, the palace served as his residence and workplace. His family lived there until the coup d'état of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali on 7 November 1987. Ben Ali refused to use the office of his predecessor and had a new one built, as well as another for his spouse Leïla Ben Ali.
He only uses the palace as a place of work, launching the construction of another palace to serve as his personal residence, although he sometimes resides in the apartments which he arranged, at the beginning of his presidency, in the private wing of the palace.
On 15 January 2011, one day after Ben Ali's flight during the revolution, the army stormed the palace which houses members of the presidential security who remained loyal to the ousted president.
Fouad Mebazaa, interim President of the Republic, following the flight of Ben Ali, decided to occupy the presidential offices of Carthage and announced his intention to settle there, as part of his duties.
Shortly after his election by the Constituent Assembly,
Interior architecture
The palace features rooms which take the name of Tunisian personalities who played a role in the history of the country such as Habib Bourguiba, Abdelaziz Thâalbi, Aboul-Qacem Echebbi and Dido.
In addition to the presence of a gallery in the palace belonging to the
The palace contains a theater and a private presidential suite with bedroom, shower room and salon. Habib Bourguiba is the only president who used it.
Official receptions take place in the ambassadors' lounge, with delegations settling[
Staff
Some 3,000 people work at the palace, two-thirds of the national guards protecting the site and agents of the presidential security service.
Gallery
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The Tunisian government in the garden of the palace in 1970
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Bourguiba and his family in the lobby of the palace
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Ben Ali receiving delegations at the entrance to the palace
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Portrait of Ben Ali in the lobby of the palace
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Theater of Carthage Palace
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Ben Ali and the delegations in the hall of the Republic
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"Ibn Khaldun Hall" during the presidency of Beji Caid Essebsi
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Essebsi at the "Republic Hall"
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The courtyard of the palace during the arrival of Kais Saied to take over the presidency
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"Republic Hall" during the presidency of Kais Saied
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Aerial view of the palace
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Presidential Palace of Carthage
References
- Agence France Presse. Vancouver Sun. 2011-01-06. Archived from the originalon 2011-01-10. Retrieved 2011-01-16.