"As perfect as the purest conceptions of the greatest workers in stone"

Saturday February 2 - Monday February 4, Tunisia

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing we can do"
and
“I appreciate you’re in a hurry, but you’ll just have to come back after the weekend and collect it all then”

In my lexicon of phrases-to-fret-about these two refrains have a top-five placing – particularly when in the first instance they relate to lost filming-tapes, and secondly, to our impounded camera equipment.

It’s Saturday afternoon at Tunis Airport, and cameraman Ian Serfontein and I have arrived in Tunisia to film at Kairouan, a modestly-sized town 200 kilometers south of the capital. Widely acknowledged as the fourth most important Islamic city in the world (after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem), Kairouan is home to one of the earliest architectural marvels of the Islamic faith, a mosque whose foundations go back to the 7th century.
Writing in 1889, the great French novelist Guy de Maupassant said of the site

"I know of three religious buildings in the world that have given me the unexpected and shattering emotion that was aroused in me by this barbaric and astonishing monument: Mont Saint-Michel, Saint Mark's in Venice, and the Palatine Chapel in Palermo. These three are reasoned, studied, and admirable work of great architects sure of their effects, pious of course, but artistic first, inspired as much or more by their love of line, of form, and of decoration, as by their love of God. But at Kairouan it is something else. A race of fanatics, nomads scarcely able to build walls, coming to a land covered with ruins left by their predecessors, picked up here and there whatever seemed most beautiful to them, and, in their own turn, with these debris all of one style and order, raised, under the guidance of heaven, a dwelling for their God, made of pieces torn from crumbling towns, but as perfect as the purest conceptions of the greatest workers in stone."

But neither my limited charm nor great French texts can move the customs officials. Our equipment remains captive.

Fortunately, help is at hand. The ominous sounding – but incredibly helpful – TECA (Tunisian External Communication Agency) smooths our passage; tapes are found, equipment is released, and we find ourselves in the company of Adel, our fixer for the next 24 hours.

We’re soon on the road – with our driver, Mohammed - and within minutes, Adel and I are engrossed in discussing Islam and Christianity. Adel tells me that a few months previously, a Swedish producer had come out for a few days filming with him, and had returned home a confirmed Muslim. I can’t claim impartiality, but as a committed Christian I’m delighted to be learning more about Islam and keen to exchange texts and world-views. The debate goes on and on and on.

A pause in the theological discussion is offered by a road-side stop, featuring delicious, freshly grilled lamb and local breads. Adel tells me that it’s not unusual for Tunisians to eat lamb three or four times a week. I’m overtaken with envy. Finally, we arrive at our hotel at about 10 am.
The next day and we’re up at 6am to film the sun-rise. Early morning fog frustrates our efforts but we do see the Mosque for the first time. It’s a sensational building -- elegant, straightforward, and possessed of immaculate scale and geometry. 145 metres long and 80 metres wide, the walls enclose a serene courtyard, bordered my arcades. At one end of the courtyard is the prayer hall and at the other is a single three-storey minaret.

Because neither Ian nor I are Muslims, we are unable to film within the prayer hall but our friends at TECA have kindly arranged for a cameraman from Tunis to drive down and help us out – I’m yet to see the rushes but I’m hoping that Ahmed will have captured the large wooden minbar (apparently, the oldest in existence, and dated at 862-63 CE) and the stunning mihrab – decorated with tiles, specially imported from Iraq.

After a couple of hours, Ahmed returns to Tunis and Ian and I are left to film the courtyard, exterior details and some further shots of Kairouan. It’s a memorable first day and that evening we enjoy another lamb dinner before retiring to bed early.
A brighter morning on Monday means that we film a beautiful sunrise over the minaret and then drive to the offices of Mourad Rammah, the conservateur de la Medina de Kairouan. Rammah will be our chief interviewee and proves a most charming, relaxed and enthusiastic host. Having travelled extensively to all of the key Islamic sites around the world he is able to contextualise Kairouan and talk with great authority and passion about why the building is so remarkable. Rammah speaks in good jargon-free French and then persuades the authorities to allow us to film at the top of the minaret – it’s quite a coup.
Above all, Rammah talks in straightforward terms about the design of the mosque – how the builders incorporated Roman and Christian ruins into the stone-work, how the minaret could double as a fortification, how the courtyard is graded to collect water, why there are so many columns in the prayer hall -- the focus should not be on the Imam. Without any sort of recce, it’s always a great relief to find such a good contributor and we film with Rammah until 2pm.

A late lunch and a further interview accomplished we drive out of town to capture a final sunset over Kairouan. The only sadness of the trip is, over another dinner of excellent lamb, watching Tunisia crash out of the African Cup of Nations, losing to Cameroon 3-2 in extra-time. Ian and I triy to console our hosts with England’s loss against Wales in the Six Nations. (Seb Grant)