Souk El Bchemkya
Souk El Bchemkya is one of the souks of the medina of Tunis. It used to be specialised in selling bechmak (slippers for Turks).
History
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This souk was built by Yusuf Dey at the same time as his mosque. It is a part of his foundation made up of religious and economic buildings.[1]
After the disappearance of qadis and mudarris (teachers), the guild of manufacturers of bechmak is dissolved, leading to the disappearance of the souk.[2]
Location
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The souk is located near the crossroads of Sidi Ben Ziad Street and Souk El Bey. It surrounds the Youssef Dey Mosque on three sides: east, north and west. Some of the shops are drilled in the platform that carries the mosque.[1]
Nowadays, shops once located on the side of Dar El Bey are annexed to this monument, and those located under the platform are reallocated to other uses, like a bank agency of Société Tunisienne de Banque.
Products
[edit]With the installation of Turks in Tunisia, Turkish clothing is introduced. The bechmak (pashmak in Turkish) are then new models of slippers or boots worn by Turks.[1]
The yellow bechmak are worn by men, especially fakirs from the Hanafi rite. Women wear different colours.[1]
Notes and references
[edit]- ^ a b c d Ahmed Saadoui (2010). Tunis, ville ottomane : trois siècles d'urbanisme et d'architecture (in French). Tunis: Centre de publication universitaire. pp. 28–30. ISBN 978-9973-37-023-5.
- ^ Archives de l'Association de sauvegarde de la médina (1982). Étude analytique des espaces de production et d'echange dans la medina de Tunis (in French). Tunis: Association de sauvegarde de la médina. pp. 18–19.
