Global Treasures: Tozeur

Television Producer: Ullman, Frank

Producer: Scarson, Peter O.

---

Catalogue Number: GTR-DVD-1102

UPC: 879061007019

---

Global Treasures - History's Most Protected Monuments - Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa's Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world's heritage. Join us as we explore one of these protected monuments.

Once traveled by caravan trains, the seemingly infinite horizons of the region's salt lakes have remained unchanged. But on the edge of this lifeless world is the flourishing city of Tozeur. This small, charming city in the southwest of Tunisia is surrounded by a beautiful and fertile landscape, the Oasis of Djerid, the "Oasis of the Palm Branch."

The Bled El Djerid Oasis features approximately 200,000 palms, and the dates that grow in this region, the Deglet Ennour, are considered to be among Tunisia's finest.

The provincial capital of Tozeur is famous for its unique architecture, and the buildings in the old part of the city, the Ouled Halef, are particularly fascinating. Hidden in one of the sunlit inner courtyards of the old area of the city is a small but extremely informative history and folklore museum. It contains a large variety of Tozeur's traditional and historical objects that stem from its dwellings, crafts and trade, some of which date back to Roman times.

The historic townscape of Tozeur is still influenced by the unique architecture of the 14th and 15th centuries, and even today its charming alleys and idyllic courtyards are an influential centre of both Arabic and Islamic culture.

Travellers from all over the world can experience a large variety of unique and exotic architecture and all of the special ambience of this intriguing city. In the cool shade of Tozeur's clay buildings, time is but a mirage!