Tozeur is said to have been paid as tribute by the Kingdom of Kush to the Egyptian queen Tausret (the name meaning "woman of power"). The old city was destined to become a wealthy stop on the caravan routes.
Ever since that time the town has kept up a tradition of building with pale-coloured bricks, sun-dried, kiln-baked and worked into millions of complex geometric patterns. The craft is still alive today. Tozeur, far from the Egypt from which it drew its name, became a busy centre for caravans crossing the Sahara. Pliny the Elder described its beauty and Ibn Khaldoun praised its wealth. Even today, the intricate brickwork patterns on the citadel's facades amaze the eye. It's a delight to amble through the narrow streets with architectural masterpieces on either side. The town is dotted with hotels, restaurants and cafés conveying a pleasantly laid-back lifestyle. A peaceful destination whose historic heritage is evident even at first sight.
Fingers of light
In the superb palm grove on the edge of town, time is still measured by water-clocks. Ever since the 13th century the steady drip of water has been used to time the watering of the date palms in a system set up by the poet and mathematician Ibn Chabbat. Today there are some 200,000 palm trees including the celebrated Deglet Nour or "finger of light" variety. In the evening you can dine in the palm grove, by candle-light in a nomad tent, the meal laid out with all ceremony to present the delicious cuisine of southern Tunisia. Magical.
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