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- Tunisian television, 1st channel present :

- Houses and ideas, Dar Al-Asram

- In the vastness of this city born 13 centuries ago on a narrow piece of land, now become a crossroads of civilizations and cultures,

- the walk is wonderful and we discover authentic monuments

- and castles that have dedicated their space to contemporary innovation. Mosques, houses, schools,

- hammams, shrines, markets and three gates that open onto Tunis, where construction has developed between originality and modernity.

- Treasures of the old town and history of Tunis are actually history of architecture and civilization.

- The old town is full of castles and luxury homes that reflect the richness of their builders and owners.

- The most important castle is that of Dar Al-Asram,

- a work of art built in the early 19th century, between 1812 and 1919.

- It was at this period that many of these castles were built in the old town which are distinguished by the richness of their art and architecture.

- Its owner Hamouda Pacha Al Asram was the head of Zouaoua regiments, a rich farmer

- and descendant from one of the most important and wealthy families of the Hussainid period, from the city of Kairouan.

- This family is known for its support to Hussein Ben Ali.

- It has succeeded thanks to its immense fortune to get important positions

- and to adorn the castle. The castle is located

- in one of the aristocratic neighbourhoods of the city that was of great interest for Hussainid Dynasty,

- they have also built many religious buildings such as the Zawiya of Sidi Ibrahim Al- Riahi, and other buildings such as the Madrasa El-Achouria

- and the castle of Hayreddine Pacha.

- We get to Dar Al-Asram through a door that led to the driba,

- ornamented with plaster Turkish sculptures.

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- This driba has no platform as it is the case in other sqifas of the most important houses of the medina.

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- Ceilings are on eight columns made of kadhali,

- the same material than the one used for capitals in the style of Hafsides.

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- On the left of the driba, stairs lead to the hosts’ floor, the top floor of the palace.

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- At the back of the driba, on the left, we find a sqifa leading to another sqifa leading to an area with a kitchen and reserved for servants.

- The latter is the modestest of the palace, it has no ornaments. In the centre, there is a small paved

- with kadhal stones courtyard. It is the same stone than the one used to carve the columns and frames of doors and windows.

- Like many other palaces, Dar Al-Asram has several parts. The most important is the middle part,

- where the owners lived. It has a rectangular courtyard

- with three arches galleries on each sides supported by four columns

- and Doric capitals as found in Dar El-Mestiri

- and Dar El Bey in the Kasbah.

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- The patio is very beautiful because its walls are covered with ceramic tiles manufactured in Kallalin district

- and up the walls there are Andalusian style plaster sculptures. The floor has been paved with marble tiles imported from a plant in Kerrada.

- Forms and ornaments of wooden doors are Italian style.

- The tiles used in nearby rooms are the same as those of the patio.

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- Called Afset Sid, they were widely used in the 18th century.

- Northern and southern houses are traditional style,

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- with a room, a cellar and a balcony.

- Western house distinguishes itself with its three cellars and four balconies.

- This style of construction is rare in the medina,

- it is found in Dar Hussein and Dar Al-Massili,

- but this house of the palace differs by its size and the location of its cellars.

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- The striking feature of this house is the Italian style wooden ceiling.

- It is different from the style of the house located to the east, longer and which served as a dining room,

- because its ceiling have star-shaped ornaments.

- Ultimately, this house is different from the main house of the palace,

- the latter is Italian style and the eastern house is rather Andalusian style.

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- By its ornaments, its shape and height, the guest house is different from the general style of the palace.

- It was not necessary to go through the part reserved to owners to reach it.

- The host could do so directly by taking the stairs of the driba.

- However one can access this part from the patio.

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- The architecture of the guest house is not different from those of other houses in the medina.

- A patio is located in its centre and is surrounded by four galleries that lead to rooms reserved to guests.

- In addition to previously mentioned areas, the palace had a private hammam called Hammam Al-Naoura, now independent of the residence.

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