Tozeur

File:Tunisia Antica.jpg

During the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire and in the Vandal Kingdom, Tozeur was the site of Tusuros, in the Roman province of Byzacena (originally part of Africa Proconsularis).

At this time it was the seat of a suffragan bishopric, called Tusuros.[https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?depth=1&hl=en&prev=search&rurl=translate.google.com.au&sl=de&u=http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/diocese/d4t23.html&usg=ALkJrhhhxYFtcoULxilcSHYvTMAtoeJivg Tururos] at catholic-hierarchy.org.

Located in the Sahel hinterland of the Byzacena coastline, close to the towns of Aquae and Nefta and south of Capsa and Ad Turres,{{sfn|Shaw|2011|p=271}} Roman Tursuros became an important center of Donatism.{{sfn|Shaw|2011|p=271}}

The bishopric ceased to function following the seventh-century arrival of Islam. The remains of an ancient church are visible in the foundations of an old mosque of Tozeur.

Four bishops (two canonical, two schismatic Donatist heretics) are historically documented

• Bennatus, partook in the Council of Cabarsussi, held in 393 by Maximianists, a sect of dissident Donatists, and signed their acts.
• Asellicus, 4th-century bishop, known from correspondence with Augustine of Hippo and Donatian of Reims and from tracts against one Aptus who was accused of Judaising.{{cite book|last=Decret|first=François|title=Early Christianity in North Africa|location=Eugene, Oregon|publisher=Wipf and Stock Publishers|year=2009|isbn=978-1556356926

|page=150}}{{sfn|Lancel|2002|p=356}} He attended the Council of Carthage (411) where the prevailing Catholics condemned Donatism as heresy.

• Florentinus participated in the Council of Carthage called in 484 by the Arian king Huneric of the Vandal Kingdom, whereafter he was exiled like most Catholic bishops, unlike Aptus, Asellicus' Donatist rival.{{sfn|Lancel|2002|p=356}}

{{empty section|date=February 2025}}

After the Umayyad conquest of North Africa in the late 6th century and early 7th century, the city became part of the Umayyad Caliphate, and later the Abbasid Caliphate.

Al-Tijani described Tozeur in the 14th century:رحلة التجاني، ص 86-89، أبو محمد عبد الله بن محمد بن أحمد التجاني، الدار العربية للكتاب: ليبيا-تونس 1981

"Tozeur is the capital of the Djerid region, and there is no forest in the Jarid lands larger than it or with more abundant water. Its water originates from springs that emerge from the sand, gathering outside the town in a wide valley, from which numerous streams branch off. Each stream further divides into channels that the inhabitants distribute among themselves according to established ownership divisions, with known shares of water. They have appointed trustworthy officials from among their righteous men to oversee the distribution, allocating the water by the hours of day and night according to a well-known and established system. [..] Many of its people reside in its palm grove, and there is a stark contrast between the buildings within the grove and those inside the town. The structures in the grove are larger and more refined. Inside the town, there are two mosques for Friday prayers and a single bathhouse. Their main gathering place for leisure is at a location they call Bab al-Manshar, which is among the most beautiful spots for recreation because it is where the waters converge."

It was nominally restored in 1933 as Latin titular bishopric of Tusuros (Latin) / Tusuro (Curiate Italian) / Tusuritan(us) (Latin adjective) of the Roman Catholic Church.[http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/former/t1896.htm Titular Episcopal See of Tusuros] at GCatholic.org.

It has had the following incumbents, so far of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank:

1. Joseph Leo Cardijn (born in Belgium) (15 February 1925 – 22 February 1965), Founder of the international Young Christian Workers (CAJ) then without prelature; later created Cardinal-Deacon of {{ill|San Michele Arcangelo, Rome|lt=San Michele Arcangelo|it|Chiesa di San Michele Arcangelo a Pietralata}} (25 February 1965 – 25 July 1967, his death);
2. Giovanni Benelli (11 June 1966 – 3 June 1977) as papal diplomat: Apostolic Pro-Nuncio to Senegal (11 June 1966 – 29 June 1967), Apostolic Delegate to Western Africa (11 June 1966 – 29 June 1967) and Roman Curia official: Substitute for General Affairs of Secretariat of State (29 June 1967 – 3 June 1977); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Florence (Italy) (3 June 1977 – 26 October 1982), created Cardinal-Priest of Santa Prisca (27 June 1977 – 26 October 1982, his death);
3. Thomas Cajetan Kelly (12 June 1977 – 28 December 1981) as Auxiliary bishop of Archdiocese of Washington (D.C.. United States) (12 June 1977 – 28 December 1981); later Metropolitan Archbishop of Louisville (United States) (28 December 1981 – 12 June 2007, his retirement), died in 2011;
4. Paul Lanneau (14 February 1982 – 26 January 2017, his death), first as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Mechelen-Brussels (Belgium) (14 February 1982 – 20 March 2002), then as emeritus;
5. Bishop-elect Amilton Manoel da Silva, Passionists (C.P.) (7 June 2017 – present) as Auxiliary Bishop of Archdiocese of Curitiba (Brazil).

File:Sahara close to Tozeur (Tunisia).jpg close to Tozeur (Tunisia).]]Tozeur has a hot desert climate (Köppen climate classification BWh) typical of the northern edge of the Sahara. The annual average rainfall is {{convert|80.8|mm|in|abbr=in}}, and the annual mean temperature (day and night) is {{convert|22.2|C|F}}, making the city both hot and dry year-round. The weather is usually settled and sunny throughout the year. Summers are extremely hot, with daily highs often exceeding {{convert|45|C|F}} in the shade, and the sirocco may push temperatures close to {{convert|50|C|F}}. During winters, it can sometimes freeze at night and just before the sunrise, as the temperature may drop below {{convert|0|C|F}}.

{{Weather box

|metric first = yes

|single line = yes

|location = Tozeur (1991–2020, extremes 1950–present)

|Jan record high C = 27.6

|Feb record high C = 31.7

|Mar record high C = 39.8

|Apr record high C = 40.2

|May record high C = 46.6

|Jun record high C = 48.7

|Jul record high C = 49.0

|Aug record high C = 48.0

|Sep record high C = 45.2

|Oct record high C = 40.9

|Nov record high C = 33.6

|Dec record high C = 27.8

|year record high C = 49.0

|Jan high C = 17.0

|Feb high C = 19.2

|Mar high C = 23.0

|Apr high C = 27.4

|May high C = 32.3

|Jun high C = 37.1

|Jul high C = 40.0

|Aug high C = 39.6

|Sep high C = 34.9

|Oct high C = 29.6

|Nov high C = 22.6

|Dec high C = 17.9

|year high C =

|Jan mean C = 11.9

|Feb mean C = 13.6

|Mar mean C = 17.4

|Apr mean C = 21.3

|May mean C = 25.9

|Jun mean C = 30.4

|Jul mean C = 33.3

|Aug mean C = 33.2

|Sep mean C = 29.2

|Oct mean C = 24.2

|Nov mean C = 17.5

|Dec mean C = 12.9

|year mean C = 22.6

|Jan low C = 6.8

|Feb low C = 8.1

|Mar low C = 11.6

|Apr low C = 15.2

|May low C = 19.5

|Jun low C = 23.6

|Jul low C = 26.4

|Aug low C = 26.7

|Sep low C = 23.5

|Oct low C = 18.7

|Nov low C = 12.3

|Dec low C = 7.9

|year low C = 16.7

|Jan record low C = -2.6

|Feb record low C = -1.6

|Mar record low C = 0.8

|Apr record low C = 4.4

|May record low C = 2.0

|Jun record low C = 14.4

|Jul record low C = 17.6

|Aug record low C = 17.8

|Sep record low C = 12.8

|Oct record low C = 5.8

|Nov record low C = 1.4

|Dec record low C = 0.0

|year record low C = -2.6

|precipitation colour = green

|Jan precipitation mm = 13.7

|Feb precipitation mm = 7.2

|Mar precipitation mm = 11.2

|Apr precipitation mm = 13.2

|May precipitation mm = 4.1

|Jun precipitation mm = 4.0

|Jul precipitation mm = 1.1

|Aug precipitation mm = 2.4

|Sep precipitation mm = 9.5

|Oct precipitation mm = 9.8

|Nov precipitation mm = 11.4

|Dec precipitation mm = 8.9

|year precipitation mm = 96.5

|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm

|Jan precipitation days = 1.4

|Feb precipitation days = 1.1

|Mar precipitation days = 1.6

|Apr precipitation days = 1.5

|May precipitation days = 0.8

|Jun precipitation days = 0.4

|Jul precipitation days = 0.2

|Aug precipitation days = 0.5

|Sep precipitation days = 1.3

|Oct precipitation days = 1.4

|Nov precipitation days = 1.3

|Dec precipitation days = 1.4

|year precipitation days = 13.0

|Jan humidity = 63

|Feb humidity = 55

|Mar humidity = 52

|Apr humidity = 49

|May humidity = 46

|Jun humidity = 42

|Jul humidity = 40

|Aug humidity = 44

|Sep humidity = 51

|Oct humidity = 56

|Nov humidity = 60

|Dec humidity = 64

|year humidity =

|Jan sun = 208.1

|Feb sun = 222.7

|Mar sun = 245.8

|Apr sun = 258.9

|May sun = 281.0

|Jun sun = 315.7

|Jul sun = 347.2

|Aug sun = 326.7

|Sep sun = 252.6

|Oct sun = 237.4

|Nov sun = 213.8

|Dec sun = 202.7

|year sun =

|source 1 = Institut National de la Météorologie (humidity 1961-1990, sun 1981–2010){{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191219211209/http://data.transport.tn/dataset/9e1ed3a1-69f5-4ef9-a05e-daa8126fdb7c/resource/acf0d32e-92b3-4247-9281-1b3a1587d23f/download/normales_1981_2010.txt

| archive-date = 19 December 2019

| url = http://data.transport.tn/dataset/9e1ed3a1-69f5-4ef9-a05e-daa8126fdb7c/resource/acf0d32e-92b3-4247-9281-1b3a1587d23f

| title = Les normales climatiques en Tunisie entre 1981 2010

| publisher = Ministère du Transport

| language = fr

| access-date = 3 February 2020}}{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191221032155/http://data.transport.tn/dataset/c8d4b465-056c-41e2-a666-05160d19784e/resource/3d38ac83-8a3c-4207-b327-9684131292b3/download/normales_1961_1990.txt

| archive-date = 21 December 2019

| url = http://data.transport.tn/dataset/normales-climatiques-en-tunisie-entre-1961-1990/resource/3d38ac83-8a3c-4207-b327-9684131292b3

| title = Données normales climatiques 1961-1990

| publisher = Ministère du Transport

| language = fr

| access-date = 3 February 2020}}{{cite web

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191221032448/http://data.transport.tn/dataset/b19bf5d3-5f47-43a3-befc-80a4f4f1d267/resource/0f4ff280-9f86-4e4f-bc18-29df886c2a30/download/extremes.txt

| archive-date = 21 December 2019

| url = http://data.transport.tn/dataset/extremes-climatiques-en-tunisie/resource/0f4ff280-9f86-4e4f-bc18-29df886c2a30

| title = Les extrêmes climatiques en Tunisie

| publisher = Ministère du Transport

| language = fr

| access-date = 3 February 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?ind=60760&ano=2022&mes=6&day=28&hora=18&min=0&ndays=30|title= 60760: Tozeur (Tunisia)|author= |date= 27 June 2022|website=ogimet.com |publisher=OGIMET |access-date= 3 July 2022|quote=}}{{cite web | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20191221032448/https://www.meteo.tn/index.php/donnees-climatiques | archive-date = 21 December 2019 | url = https://www.meteo.tn/index.php/donnees-climatiques | title = Période ensoleillée 1981-2010 climatiques en Tunisie | work = Institut National de la Météorologie | publisher = Ministère du Transport | language = fr | access-date = 26 December 2019}}{{refn|group=note|name=Station ID|The Station ID for Tozeur is 66060111.{{cite web |url=http://data.transport.tn/dataset/reseau-des-stations-meteorologiques-synoptiques/resource/9d68c101-4789-4e6a-bdff-8952d727c0c1 |title=Réseau des stations météorologiques synoptiques de la Tunisie |publisher=Ministère du Transport |language=fr |access-date=3 February 2020}}}}

|source 2 = NOAA

{{cite web

| url = https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/archive/arc0216/0253808/2.2/data/0-data/Region-1-WMO-Normals-9120/Tunisia/CSV/Tozeur_60760.csv

| title = Climate Normals 1991-2020

| website = NOAA.gov

| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

| access-date = 18 September 2018}}

}}

With hundreds of thousands of palm trees, Tozeur is a large oasis. Dates are exported from Tozeur. In ancient times, before the advent of motorized vehicles, the oasis was important for the transportation through the Sahara, which took place in caravans. The name of the city in antiquity was Tusuros, it was an important Roman outpost. The Medina quarter of Tozeur, contains traditional architecture, fashion and workmanship.

Tozeur, in common with the surrounding Jerid region, is noted for its yellow/brownish brickwork as well as its patterns in geometric designs which form the facades of most buildings in the old city and the new tourist zone.

File:ASC Leiden - van Achterberg Collection - 4 - 019 - Une porte ronde, l'entrée du marché au tapis. "Shop Berber" (Boutique berbère) - Tozeur, Tunisie, 2-16 décembre 1997.tif|A round gate, the entrance to the carpet market. "Shop Berber". A satellite dish. A tower of a mosque, Tozeur, 1997.

Traditional costume in Tunisian Sahara.jpg |A local in traditional Berber clothing in the Medina, 2007

File:Cour intérieure d'une maison de Tozeur.jpg|Inner courtyard of a house, Tozeur, 2020.

File:Porte centre ville Tozeur.jpg|Double square door of a recently constructed house, 2020

File:Vue sur Tozeur depuis le café Berbère 07.jpg|Panorama of Tozeur houses viewed from the roof of the Café Berbère, 2020.

File:Ouled El Hadef Brick facade.jpg|Typical brick decorations on a facade in the Medina of Tozeur

File:Medina of Tozeur Entrance.jpg|The entrance of the Medina of Tozeur

The old town of Ouled El Hadef (also known as Medina of Tozeur) is an example of the local brickwork which is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Tozeur and was a home for Jews too.

Tozeur has a football club who plays in the First Professional Federation of Football in Tunisia, the team is called LPS Tozeur. In 2010–2011 season the club almost made it to the First Professional Federation of Football.

File:Carrefour Market of Tozeur, Tunisia.jpg

Although still the largest part of the local economy, dates and farming are becoming less appealing to the young, who are more often employed in tourism. Tourism is heavily developed and promoted, and Tozeur is considered a center of "Desert tourism". The annual "International Festival of Oases" ({{langx|ar|المهرجان الدولي للواحات بتوزر|link=no}}) takes place in the town in November and December each year.

File:Tozeur6.jpg

The government initiated two large-scale projects:

1. Tapping of deep aquifers by wells. This led to the depletion of most natural springs and abandonment of the traditional irrigation canals. Tozeur's oasis has been irrigated based on an open surface canal system designed in the 13th century by engineer Ibn Chabbat. This traditional irrigation system is currently being replaced by a system of concrete pipes. Water that was traditionally free to farmers is now being sold to offset the cost of these projects and pipes.
2. The second part of these local projects is the initiation of new oases around town. These oases' productivity is very low and their future highly unstable.{{Cite book|last1=Jacobs|first1=Daniel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k2By-NdV93AC&dq=About+Tozeur&pg=PR168|title=The Rough Guide to Tunisia|last2=Morris|first2=Peter|date=2001|publisher=Rough Guides|isbn=978-1-85828-748-5|language=en}} This situation is slowly leading to the decay of the old oases (due to salinity, poor planning and lack of skilled workers) with productivity plummeting and the health and future of the oases questionable.

File:Dar Cherait.jpg]]

The region around Tozeur is seeing a large influx of unemployed workers and their families from the once rich phosphate region of Metlaoui, Gafsa and Om Laarayes in hope of work in the tourism sector. The phosphate mines are no longer productive and thousands of workers were laid off after the government sold them to European investors.

Overall the region, and Tozeur in particular, is going through a tough time. The region is embracing the unstable tourism economy and shying away from its traditional agricultural based economy. During the first Gulf War the sector suffered with a loss of large number of workers and an increase in unemployment. The same happened during 11 September 2001 attacks and the Iraq War.

File:École Hôtelière de Tozeur.jpg]]

File:Tozeur airport.jpg]]

The city is served by buses, taxis, railway, louage (shared or group taxi), and Tozeur–Nefta International Airport with national and international services from London, Paris, Rome and few other European countries (international flight services are mostly during the summer tourism season). Tozeur lies on the edge of the Sahara desert. Tourism activity is higher in the fall and winter months with Douz Festival among others in late December

File:Tozeur AQChebbi.jpg statue at Ras al-Ain (Tozeur)]]

• Aboul-Qacem Echebbi ({{langx|ar|أبو القاسم الشابي|link=no}}) (Tozeur, February 1909 – 9 October 1934), was a Tunisian poet. The current Tunisian anthem is based on one of his poems.
• Abu Yazid Makhlad ibn Kayrad ({{langx|ar|أبو يزيد مخلد بن كيراد|link=no}}), from the Berber Zenata tribe, nicknamed Sahib al-Himar ({{langx|ar|صاحب الحمار|link=no}}), who led a mostly Berber revolution against the Fatimid ruler al-Qa'im. The revolution, almost a success, was finally crushed by the caliph al-Mansur bi-Nasr Allah.
• Ibn Chabbat ({{langx|ar|ابن شباط|link=no}}), also known as Mohamed Ben Ali Ben Mohamed Ben Ali, (16 October 1221 – 17 June 1285 in Tozeur), was a writer, historian, engineer and respected Tunisian social figure in the 13th century. Ibn Chabbat's main contribution and legacy is an open surface canal system for equitable water distribution in the oasis that is still in use today.
• Ibn al-Kardabūs (13th century), jurist and historian of al-Andalus
• Brahim Dargouthi (born 1955), novelist. "Nafta", a city located in the governorate of Tozeur, formerly, was known as the cradle of knowledge in North Africa. It is the "Koufa" of Africa.

File:Tunisie Star Wars 2.JPG (Star Wars)]]

Tozeur was used as a filming location for the Star Wars saga and Raiders of the Lost Ark (specifically Sidi Bouhlel canyon outside the town and the salt-flats of nearby Nefta). Lucasfilm also built an entire set a few kilometers north-west of Tozeur in the middle of the desert. This set acted as Mos Espa in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. The buildings are still there and can be visited.

The English Patient (9 Oscars) with Ralph Fiennes and Kristin Scott Thomas was partially filmed outside Tozeur.

In May 1984 the Italian singers Alice and Franco Battiato represented Italy in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "I treni di Tozeur" ("The Trains of Tozeur"), whose lyrics contain several references to Tozeur, the historic train Le Lézard rouge and Tunisian history in general. This song became a chart hit throughout Continental Europe and Scandinavia.

Tozeur is twinned with:

{{clear}}

File:Tozeur sud tunisien.jpg|A view from Tozeur

File:Zaouia El Kadiria panorama.jpg|Panorama of Zaouia El Kadiria, Tozeur

File:Souk El Rbaa of Tozeur.jpg|Souk of Tozeur

File:Souk Rbaa of Tozeur.jpg|Traditional bags (Koffa)

{{Portal|Africa}}

• List of Catholic dioceses in Tunisia

{{reflist|group=note}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite book|last=Lancel|first=Serge|title=St Augustine|location=Norwich|publisher=Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd|year=2002|isbn=0334028663}}
• {{cite book|title=Sacred Violence: African Christians and Sectarian Hatred in the Age of Augustine|last=Shaw|first=Brent D.|date=2011|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521196055|url={{GBurl|F8ZRPTgcjrcC|pg=PA271}}|page=271|access-date=2016-03-29}}

• {{cite book|last=Gams|first=Pius Bonifacius|title=Series episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae|lang=la|location=Leipzig|year=1931|page=469}}
• {{cite book|last=Morcelli|first=Stefano Antonio|title=Africa christiana|lang=la|volume=I|location=Brixia|year=1816|pages=341–342}}
• {{cite book|last=Mesnage|first=Joseph|title=L'Afrique chrétienne|lang=fr|location=Paris|year=1912|pages=163–164}}

{{commons category|Tozeur}}

• [http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/former/t1896.htm GCatholic - (former &) titular bishopric]
• {{wikivoyage-inline|Tozeur}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20140326111438/http://lexicorient.com/tunisia/tozeur.htm Lexicon of the Orient article]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070310220704/http://www.tawalt.com/letter_display.cfm?lg=_TZ&ID=4121 Arabic Atlas of Islamic History]
• [http://www.losapos.com/starwarstunisia Star Wars locations in Tunisia]

{{Communes of Tunisia}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Populated places in Tozeur Governorate

Category:Oases of Tunisia

Category:Communes of Tunisia