From October 9, the Ahmed Bey palace in La Marsa, just restored, opens its doors to a unique exhibition entitled “ITALIANISANCES: the Italian presence in Tunisian architecture”.
Organized by the Nous Tous Association, the Archives of the Memory of Italians of Tunisia (AMIT), the Maghreb Archeology and Architecture Laboratory (LAAM) and the Dante Alighieri Cultural Center, with the support of the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, the event offers an immersion in several centuries of crossed influences between Tunisia and Italy.
An architectural and historical journey
From the medina to the European districts of Tunis, the exhibition reveals the Italian footprint in Tunisian buildings, from the first influences of the 16th century to the great migratory waves of the 19th and 20th centuries. A true living archive, it illustrates the richness of these cultural exchanges through a corpus of 13 panels combining photographs, academic research and decorative elements of emblematic buildings.
The exhibition is structured around four thematic sections:
- Novecento : the Italian influence in the 19th century European city (franc quarter), marked by Art Nouveau, Art Deco and Eclecticism;
- Mosques and Torba – Baroque and Rococo : the Italian presence in the religious architecture of the medina;
- Beylic palaces, the Italian imprint : the contribution of Italian craftsmen and architects to the princely residences;
- Italian rural housing : memory of the villages of the lower Medjerda valley.
The Ahmed Bey Palace, a symbol of rebirth
The choice of the Ahmed Bey Palace, a heritage jewel marked by a strong Italian influence, is not insignificant. By becoming the first stopover for this traveling exhibition, the place symbolizes the desire to rehabilitate and promote an often forgotten heritage.
The exhibition will then travel to the National School of Architecture and Urban Planning (ENAU) from October 13 to 19, then to El Teatro d’El Mechtel from October 21 to 31.
The inaugural days, from October 9 to 12, will offer meetings and exchanges with researchers and architects, around Mediterranean dialogue and heritage preservation. The official opening will be held on Thursday October 9 at 5 p.m., in the presence of the organizers and history and architecture enthusiasts.
