Cycling in Tunisia through the World of Mosaics at the Bardo National Museum
From Nadine (31, USA)
Arriving in Tunis, Tunisia
The cycling team in Bardo:
I arrived in Tunis with no expectations other than a vague idea of bicycles and friendly people. Coming from a week in dusty, loud Cairo, I was first greeted by blue skies and clear air. Not to mention my host Selim, alongside new friends Tareq and Houssem. Driving to Nomadic Bike provided the first view of my two-week home. It’s one of the last times I’d be seeing it through car windows. Let the cycling adventures in Tunisia commence!
Cycling to see the mosaics:
But first and before talking about cycling in Tunisia. I need to backtrack (or backpedal, if you will)… I’ve been on the road for nearly nine months. I have been visiting friends, volunteering, and exploring my interests across Europe, the UK and North Africa. Throughout this time, I’ve been dogged by mosaics—most particularly in Italy. I marveled at the little colored tiles in the homes of Pompeii and the churches of Puglia.
And now, on my second day cycling in Tunisia, I found myself in the Bardo National Museum. Bardo Museum houses one of the world’s largest collections of Roman mosaics. Another reminder of the long history of trade and migration throughout the Mediterranean!
Cycling to Bardo Museum
A two-minute bicycle ride from Nomadic (not even one kilometer) brought me to the museum and back in time. That shows how much cycling in Tunisia is so convenient. Informational plaques in Arabic, French, and English explained how the land now called Tunisia has long been a place of mixed cultures, religions and traditions. It’s Dating back through myriad dynasties and various place names. I noticed a particular point of pride here is that those belonging to different religions could practice according to their own beliefs.
Wandering throughout the rooms of the Museum and thus, the daily lives and traditions of generations of Muslims, Christians and Jews. It ranges from tombstones and funerary mosaics to baptismal pools, tribal dress, jewelry and coins.
Bardo Museum & Carthage
Discovering the museum in Tunisia:
Of course, the main focus of the Museum’s collection relates to nearby Carthage, the ancient Punic city that sat on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis. This tested my memory of tenth-grade history class. Happily, the Museum’s information filled in the gaps. By the first century BCE, Carthage was a prosperous city-state that rivaled Rome, before eventually falling to the empire to the north. It was later rebuilt as a Roman outpost. The prosperity of this place was evident in the beauty and richness of room after room of mosaic. Mosaics cover the floors and walls of the Museum. Everyday life was represented on tomb markers, while larger scenes displayed Roman mythology and local flora and fauna. It was truly jaw-dropping to consider just one square meter of marble tiles and the amount of effort and ornate detail that had gone into it. One of the best experiences cycling in Tunisia is also to ride from Nomadic Bike to Carthage.
Greek masterpieces discovered in Tunisia:
More incredible treasures to see at the Bardo National Museum are the ancient Greek masterpieces. It was rescued from a Roman shipwreck off the coast of Mahdia (south of Sousse). Discovered by Greek fishermen in 1907, the shipwreck was dated to between 80 and 60 BCE, and showed evidence that Greek artwork was a prized possession to ancient Romans. Sculptures and other decorative elements displayed wear from being underwater for nearly two thousand years, but this only added to their otherworldly beauty.
After a few hours of art and history, plus some kafteji, (fast food consisting of fried eggs, vegetables and harissa, eaten with a baguette), I cycled back to Nomadic to digest and reflect on the many treasures of Tunis, easily accessible by bike while organizing a cycling trip in Tunisia.
FURTHER DETAILS
Cycle from Nomadic Bike: 2 minutes (1 kilometer)
Hours: Closed Mondays
June 1-September 15: 9am-5pm
September 16-May 30: 9:30am-4:30pm
Admission: 13 TND (non-residents); 8 TND (residents); 4 TND (Tunisians aged 60+)
