Great Mosque of Uqba restoration tenders announced in September
Published on 09/27/2026 at 07:41 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The Great Mosque of Uqba in Kairouan, ???? ???????? ??????, is the subject of two restoration tenders announced on 18 September 2026. The National Heritage Institute is seeking work on the mosque, its immediate surroundings and historic wooden elements.
Restoration tenders set a new course for the mosque
The National Heritage Institute, known by its French initials INP, published two international notices on 18 September 2026. One covers restoration and enhancement work for the religious building and its immediate surroundings. The other is dedicated to specialised restoration of the mosque’s heritage woodwork.
The tender notices form part of a project financed through a grant from Saudi Arabia via the Saudi Fund for Development. The funding follows a memorandum of understanding signed on 27 July 2017. The announcement is a current change for a monument that remains both a working place of worship and a major visitor site.
The deadline for submitting bids is 18 December 2026. The two bid-opening sessions are scheduled for the same day at the institute’s headquarters in Tunis, with separate noon and 1pm deadlines for the two lots. The official INP notices identify the building and the two areas of work.
Why the restoration matters in Kairouan
The mosque stands within the historic city of Kairouan, whose World Heritage listing dates from 1988. UNESCO describes the city as founded in 670 and notes that it flourished under the Aghlabid dynasty in the ninth century.
The present monument is closely associated with that ninth-century rebuilding. Its plan includes a large courtyard, a hypostyle prayer hall and a massive square minaret. Marble and porphyry columns form part of the architectural fabric described by UNESCO, while the building’s scale and layout helped make it a model for later mosques in the Maghreb.
The new tenders connect the immediate visitor setting with the fabric inside the building. That matters because the project is not limited to a general urban improvement: one contract specifically addresses historic wooden elements, while the other includes the mosque and its surroundings. UNESCO’s description of Kairouan’s heritage places the mosque within a wider historic ensemble.
Visiting Great Mosque of Uqba during the tender period
- The current restoration announcement was published on 18 September 2026, while the bid deadline is 18 December 2026. The tenders do not themselves announce a closure or a changed visitor route.
- The notices concern the mosque and its immediate surroundings, but they do not state that construction has begun or that visitor access has changed. Travellers should therefore avoid assuming that a restoration restriction is already in force.
- The monument is in the historic city of Kairouan, in central Tunisia. UNESCO places the city on a plain between the sea and the mountains.
- The site is an active mosque. Non-Muslim visits are limited to areas made available by the custodian, and religious activity can affect access.
- Arabic is Tunisia’s official language and the national currency is the Tunisian dinar.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Great Mosque of Uqba
What changed at Great Mosque of Uqba on 18 September 2026?
The National Heritage Institute announced two international restoration tenders on 18 September 2026. They cover the mosque, its immediate surroundings and historic wooden elements.
When are bids due for the restoration?
Bids are due on 18 December 2026, with the two bid-opening sessions scheduled in Tunis on the same day.
Where is Great Mosque of Uqba and how do you get there?
The mosque is in the historic city of Kairouan in central Tunisia. It forms part of Kairouan’s UNESCO World Heritage site.
