Rue Jemaa Zitouna, between Bab Bhar and Jemaa Zitouna
The building is 12,85 meter wide, and 34 meters long. The length of the building increased by 10 m from 24 meters before the first renovation in 1865. As well three chapels and the sacristy were added.
The clock tower is an example of one the first uses in Tunisia of prefabricated panels made of reinforced concrete. The façades have preserved some details of the neo-classical architecture.
TIMELINE
2002 – 2019 | The restoration works were done in two phases: the consolidation of the building started in 2002 and was completed in 2004, the second phase for completion and decoration started in 2014.
After its closure, the Sainte-Croix church was used as a dependency for municipal services, and its presbytery was made available to theater companies, and also to some craftsmen’s commercial premises as well as for families.
1964 | Desacralization, owned by the Tunisian government
1848 | The complex was restored and enlarged but lost its function as a place of worship following the construction of the St. Vincent de Paul Cathedral in Tunis, which replaced the temporary cathedral erected in 1882.
1832 | The complex became a hospice.
1662 | Consisting of a presbytery and a church, the Holy Cross Complex was built in 1662 by foreign Christians living in Tunis and, until the end of the 18th/early 19th century, it was the only existing Christian parish in Tunisia.
Historic postcard displaying the interior of the presbyterium.
LINKS
khadija Djelouilli: Presbytere Sainte Croix peau neuve. On: ideomagazine.com. 4 October 2017
La Municipalité de Tunis et l’Ambassade d’Italie à Tunis: Sainte-Croix – Un patrimoine Méditerranéen au cœur de la Médina de Tunis
Zaher Kammoun: Le Presbytere de Tunis
lematin.ma: La medina de Tunis aux 250 lieux de culte s’offre un lifting (2003)
lostintunis.com: Eglise Sainte Croix in the Medina
wikiwand.com/en: Sainte Croix Church of Tunis
CONTEXTS
Sonic Totem. DREAM CITY Tunis 2019
Sonic Totem. DREAM CITY Tunis 2019. Photo: Floy Krouchi, ProHelvetia.
Conception, Basse, French text: Floy Krouchi
Scenography & interactive light: Marwen Abouda
Voice: Badiaa Bouhrizi AKA Neysatu
Visual Art: Ursula Scherrer
Saxophone: Devin Brahja Waldman
Comedian: Nejma Zghidi
Text (Derja) et traduction: Selma Zghidi