Kairouan

Kairouan, also spelled El Qayrawān or Kairwan, is the capital of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was founded by the Umayyads around 670, in the period of Caliph Mu'awiya (reigned 661–680); this is when it became an important centre for Sunni Islamic scholarship and Quranic learning, attracting Muslims from various parts of the world. The Mosque of Uqba is situated in the city. In 2014, the city had about 187,000 inhabitants. Etymology The name ( al-Qayrawān) is an Arabic word meaning "military group" or "caravan", borrowed early on from the Middle Persian word kārawān (modern Persian kârvân), meaning "military column" (kâr "people/military" + vân "outpost") or "caravan" (see caravanserai). In Berber, the city used to be called Tikirwan, thought to be an adaptation of the Arabic name. It has also been romanized as Cairoan in early modern English. Geography Kairouan, the capital of Kairouan Governorate, lies south of Sousse, from the east coast, from Monastir and from Tunis.