Tripoli is the
quiet, relaxed capital of Libya. Known in Roman times as
Oea, it was part of the fertile and wealthy
Tripolitania - the province of three cities, the others being
Sabratha and
Leptis Magna.
After the seventh-century Arab conquest, the city became known as
Tripoli, or Tarabulus in Arabic. The Arabs, their successors the Ottomans and, more recently, the Italians all opted to build
gleaming white architecture, which has earned the city its nickname, the
‘White Bride of the Mediterranean.’
Since UN-imposed
sanctions against Libya were lifted in 2004, Tripoli has become an
increasingly popular destination, but there are as yet surprisingly
few tourist facilities.
The
Jamahiriya Museum has
superb Roman mosaics and the city’s atmospheric
medina, with its labyrinthine alleys and Ottoman monuments, retains much of its
traditional character.
The elegant,
colonial downtown area was built by the
Italians, and is very much the place where locals work, shop and eat, although most people live in the sprawling modern developments away from the city center.
The city
comes alive for a few hours
around sunset when families stroll along the seafront or on Green Square, or go for drive - this is the time you will find traffic jams. By 2300 most of the city is very quiet again.
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Related Libya Content
The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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