Hajeb El Ayoun
حاجب العيون
Masclianae
Commune and town
map showing the location of Hadjeh-El-Aïoun a town in Tunisia
map showing the location of Hadjeh-El-Aïoun a town in Tunisia
Country Tunisia
GovernorateKairouan Governorate
Government
 • MayorLazhar Nasri
Elevation
490 ft (150 m)
Population
 (2014)[1]
 • Total10,631
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
Websitehttp://www.commune-hadjebelayoun.gov.tn

Hajeb El Ayoun (Arabic: حاجب العيون) is a town and commune in the Kairouan Governorate, Tunisia. As of 2004 it had a population of 9,648.[2] It is also the capital of a district of 35,403 inhabitants.[3][4]

The Mayor is Hassen Zaïdi, and the post code is 3160.

Geography

It is located at 35° 23′N, 9° 32′E and across fields from the west shores of Sidi Saad lake having the largest dam in Tunisia, which enables agricultural irrigation in the surrounding fields. The economy includes olive and apricot production. The town is 49m above sea level.

History

Ruins near the town have tentatively been identified with the remains of a Roman era town of Masclianae. The town is also the seat in name at least of an ancient Christian titular Bishopric[5] In the 1830s the site was excavated by Lieutenant Harinezo,[6] who discovered the remains of a Christian era, basilica, with various inscriptions in situ. The ruins have been suggested as the remains of the Roman civitas of Germaniciana.

The United States Army engaged Rommels Afrika Korps here on 19 February 1943.[7]

Notable people

  • Ali Chourabi, magistrate and independent presidential candidate at the 2014 elections.
  • Béchir M'hedhbi, a politician during the independence period, director of the Tunisian national radio and a personality in charge of various government position, ministries and ambassador.
  • Moncef (el) Ouahibi poet, writer and academic

See also

References

  1. ↑ " Populations, dwellings and households by administrative units and settings " (2017).
  2. ↑ (in French) Recensement de 2004 (Institut national de la statistique) Archived 2016-02-19 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ (in French) Recensement de 2004 (Institut national de la statistique) Archived 2016-02-19 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Décret du 6 mai 2013 modifiant le décret du 23 septembre 2011 portant nomination de délégations spéciales dans certaines communes du territoire de la République tunisienne (Hajeb El Ayoun), Journal officiel de la République tunisienne, n°39, 14 mai 2013, p. 1462
  5. ↑ Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1)
  6. ↑ Souvenirs de l'ancienne eglise d'Afrique p8.
  7. ↑ David T. Zabecki, World War II in Europe: An Encyclopedia (Routledge, 2015) p 1333.

35°23′24″N 9°32′24″E / 35.39000°N 9.54000°E / 35.39000; 9.54000

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