page_title: Souks of Tunis
section_title: Souk El Berka
hierarchical_section_title: Souks of Tunis / Souk El Berka
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Boutique au souk el Berka
context_page_description: The souks of Tunis are a set of shops and boutiques located in the medina of Tunis, capital of Tunisia. Most of the souks were built under the Hafsid dynasty in the 13th century and near the Al-Zaytuna Mosque.
  They are organized in several streets and alleys.
context_section_description: Built in 1612 by Yusuf Dey, the souk El Berka is the old souk of black slaves in Tunis. This souk became later the souk of jewelers.
  This souk has a square form, with a wooden platform in the middle which was the place where slaves were presented and waited for the outcome of the sale. Potential buyers were sitting on benches around the souk and participated in the auction. The white slaves, considered the rarest and most valuable, were not sold in the souk but in more remote locations because the sale concerned only wealthy potential buyers. The abolition of slavery in Tunisia was declared by Ahmad I ibn Mustafa in 1846 and caused the transformation of the souk into souk of jewelers specializing in silverware.
caption: Boutique from souk El Berka
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