| s the centre of the mystic cult Sufism. It lies south-west of Tozeur and is just 36 Km away from the borders of Algeria. Nefta is not only famous as pilgrimage center but is also reputed for carpets, silk woven materials and also for potteries. In the recent years, Nefta has also emerged as a potential “tourism center.”
The history of the oases dates back to the Romans and Byzantines. The forts were built in the oases to protect it from being raided by the desert nomads. In the middle of the 7th century, Nefta was occupied by the Arabs and people were converted into Islam even after struggling against them fiercely. The succeeding years, Nefta became prosperous as it became a stop for caravans. However, after the 15th century, Nefta was raided by the nomadic tribes thus making it more insecure for the caravans to stop here. The region saw a decline in the caravan trade and was only revived with the advent of the French in 1881.
 The Corbeille
Nefta has been divided into two parts by the gully thus giving the city a dramatic setting. The gully is about 40 metres deep and gets wide up to 300 metres and then again narrows down to 20 metres. The Corbeille begins with a bathing pool and ends up in a proper oasis. The Corbeille has inspired many religiously holy men and it has numerous white tombs also known as Zawiyyas.
The pool is located next to the hot spring and is a bathing place for both the sexes. The entry to the pool is free and if you walk through the gardens, the track will lead you to the oasis.
Domes of El Bayadha
El Bayadha is one of the noted districts in Nefta which houses most religious buildings especially, zawiyyas and tombs of sacred men. Some zawiyyas also provide services similar to the mosques and as they are tombs of holy men it is believed to have special powers. El Bayadha gives the best view of the oasis and the gardens in the Corbeille.
Great Mosque of Sidi Salem
The Mosque of Sidi Salem is considered to be a great mosque. The look of the mosque is simple yet beautiful. The interior of the mosque is simple as the exterior of the mosque. The eastern side of the dome has strange holes on its surface.
Ouled Ech Cherif
Ouled Ech Cherif lies in the south-eastern part of Nefta. It is the area which has beautifully preserved some of the traditional houses in the area. It does not have the same standards as the traditional quarters of Tozeur but the houses have houses which follow the decorative pattern of bricks. They are less stylish and simpler in comparison to Tozeur but the bricks used are of same quality. The white color has been extensively used or painted over the bricks and the doors are also not much decorative.
At the south, you can visit a private museum called Dar Houidi and have a chance to have a look inside one of the wealthier homes. The entry fee to the museum is 3TD.
Ez Zaouia
Ez Zaouia gives a stunning view over the Corbeille and El Bayadha. Though it had suffered the hardest flood in the floods of 1990s but still you can visit the only interesting building which survived the floods, Sidi Mohammed Bel Hajj.
The Oasis
The Oasis is cultured with 300, 000 date palms, 70, 000 of which are deglets. The oasis has a very picturesque setting. There are narrow roads which run through the palm grooves and become a perfect place to take shelter from scorching sun. The oasis is irrigated by water coming from 150 springs. Expansion programs are being undertaken to irrigate the oasis artificially. The oasis is one of the smaller marabouts of Nefta.
Festivals
Though Nefta is visited by pilgrims all through out the year, but still you can enjoy Folk Festival in April or a Date Festival in the month of November and December.
Getting Around
From the bus station/ Gare Routière which is located in Avenue Habib Bourguiba, you can get regular bus to Tozeur and Gafsa and daily bus service to Douz and Hazaoua. Fro Tozeur, you can catch flights to Tunis, Monastir and Djerba. |