Dar Ben Abdallah

Description:

• Dar Ben Abdallah is a magnificent palace built in 1796. It used to be the house of one Tunis Bey's son-in-laws, then it was bought by the wealthy silk weaver Ben Abdallah, and later sold to a French orientalist painter in the beginning of the 20th century. A sumptuous vestibule (driba in Arabic) leads to a patio paved with marble and surrounded by columns on the first and second floor. The walls are covered with ceramic tiles and finely worked stucco. The rooms have wonderful painted ceilings. The four rooms around the patio are home to an exhibit about the 19th century Tunis bourgeois families. The domestic life is depicted through items of that time, such as dresses, embroidery, weaving, wedding accessories, and fineries. Ancient children's toys and clothes are on display in one room. The wonderful kitchen of the palace has been well preserved and a lot of kitchenware is exhibited. The entrance fee is 2 TND. -N.L.
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