The new Tripoli of AfricaFor years Tripoli would make the headlines, under the rubric"troublemaker" in the so-called international scene. Vilifiedfor a long time, the capital of Libya is finally freeing itself ofits satanic reputation to today aspire to the title of mentor tothe whole of the Mediterranean.

Photos by Pascal Meunier / LightMediation Text by Eve Gandossi

2691-29: Libya. Tripoli. Airport. Since the end of 2003, international airlines are again landing in Tripoli. Sign of this opening up: a new airport will be built very soon.

Contact - Thierry Tinacci - LightMediation Photo Agency +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 email: thierry@lightmediation.com

2691-01: Libya. Tripoli. View of the medina and on the harbour. Restored a few years ago, the medina ofTripoli is visited by the tourists again. The former Carthaginian trading post has regained its influence of

2691-02: Libya. Tripoli. Green Square. Used as a parking lot during the day, the Green Square, linkbetween the medina and the Italian district, becomes in the evening a pleasure spot for the Tripolians. For

2691-03: Libya. Tripoli. Souq Erbaa Al Kadim. In 1981, Muammar al-Gaddafi had the souks closed infavor of state shops. But faced with the failure of this, he authorized their reopening. Today, souks are

2691-04: Libya. Tripoli. Gurji mosque. One of the most beautiful places of worship in the medina, the GurjiMosque, constructed in 1833 by a rich trader, is covered in multicolored tiles. On the picture: the stairs

2691-05: Tripoli. Futuristic projects. In just a few years, the real estate projects have prospered.Everywhere in the city, new contemporary design towers and shopping centers are built.

2691-06: Libya. Tripoli. Street in the medina. Children playing soccer. Abandoned by the Libyans whoprefer the new comfortable houses, the medina henceforth houses mostly foreigners. Its narrow streets

2691-07: Libya. Tripoli. Post office coffeeshop. Italian heritage. Italian atmosphere at the Café de laPoste. This coffeehouse is located under the huge Mussolini styled archways of the Institute for Social

2691-08: Libya. Tripoli. Trendy shop. The First of September Street is the trendy occidental street in theItalian district. Everywhere, the shops sell fashion clothing, which has nothing to do with traditional Libyan

2691-05: Tripoli. Futuristic projects. In just a few years, the real estate projects have prospered. Everywhere in the city, new contemporary design towers and shopping centers are built.

2691-09: Libya. Tripoli. Jamahiriya Museum. Entrance hall of the archaeological museum of Tripoli. Thismuseum, the largest in the country, houses among other things statues from the Leptis Magna

2691-10: Libya. Tripoli. Al Shaab mosque. Located outside the old city, the Al Shaab mosque musthenceforth cohabit with all the industry on the coast.

2691-11: Libya. Tripoli. Bab el Jedid coffeeshop. Most of the customers at the Bab el Jedid coffeehouseare Algerians, Moroccans or Tunisians. This is a meeting place for many immigrants.

2691-12: Libya. Tripoli. Corniche. Port. After years under embargo, trade ships again pull into the port ofTripoli, a former Corinthian trading post. Some inhabitants delight in the sight of this new ballet of boats.

2691-13: Libya. Tripoli. National Museum. Collection of ancient Roman statues in the archaeologicalmuseum occupying the eastern part of the citadel of Tripoli.

2691-14: Libya. Tripoli. Entrance hall of the luxury hotel Bab el Bahr. Today, there are more portraits ofMuammar al-Gaddafi in hotels than in the streets of the capital.

2691-15: Libya. Tripoli. Small streets in the medina. Old town. The medina of Tripoli is composed ofhundreds of miniscule labyrinth-like streets with archways to protect from the sun.

2691-16: Libya. Tripoli. Old town. Medina. The old city is composed of many ottoman-style houses. Behindthe wood doors and the colorful walls hide many treasures, unfortunately in a sorry state from lack of

2691-07: Libya. Tripoli. Post office coffeeshop. Italian heritage. Italian atmosphere at the Café de la Poste. This coffeehouse is located under the huge Mussolini styled archways of the Institute for Social Welfare.

2691-17: Libya. Tripoli. Marc Aurele arch and mosque. Vestige of its prestigious Roman past, Tripoli haspreserved the triumphal arch of Marcus Aurelius, with, in front of it, the Sidi Abdul Wahab mosque, dating

2691-18: Libya. Tripoli. Souq Al Liffa. If the escalators of the shopping centers are the new places foryoung people to flirt, the souq remains the ideal place for pleasurable encounters.

2691-19: Libya. Tripoli. Tajoura baths. The Tajoura bath is located in the suburb of Tripoli. This bath ismore visited than those of the medina because it is composed of a swimming pool, a sauna, cabins with

2691-20: Libya. Tripoli. Beach. Modern city. The coast Tripoli is adorning itself with huge towers. Theinhabitants of the medina are leaving its old small streets, preferring the new, comfortable apartments. In a

2691-21: Libya. Tripoli. Sudanese coffeeshop. In this part of the old city, many immigrants run the shopsand restaurants. In the photo: Sudanese immigrants.

2691-22: Libya. Tripoli. National Museum. The Leptis Magna Hall in the Jamahiriya Museum (NationalMuseum) with the representation of the Septimius Severus Arch and remains of its frescos.

2691-23: Libya. Tripoli. Clothes souq. In spite of the arrival of the new international clothing retailers, thestalls of the souk still have customers. Here is sold above all the traditional clothing, like farmla, those

2691-24: Libya. Tripoli. Othman Pacha Koranic school. The Othman Pacha madrassa, built at the end ofthe 17th century, is one of the most beautiful Koranic schools in the city. Its architectural plan was inspired

2691-13: Libya. Tripoli. National Museum. Collection of ancient Roman statues in the archaeological museum occupying the eastern part of the citadel of Tripoli.

2691-25: Libya. Tripoli. Souq designer. For 50 years, Hadj Ali has been unceasingly embroidering thefarmla in the Al Liffa souk. These waistcoats or vests are made with Syrian fabrics and Italian threads.

2691-26: Libya. Tripoli. Harouss caravanserai. Break time for the weavers, one of who, Mohamed Hamza,has been making traditional Libyan clothing in this Harouss caravansary for 45 years.

2691-27: Libya. Tripoli. City walls and hotel Corinthia. The city walls of the Bab El Jedid gate still protectthe old city from the modern, whose present-day symbol is the Corinthia hotel, the new Mecca for finding

2691-28: Libya. Tripoli. Gurji mosque. On of the most beautiful places of worship in the medina, the GurjiMosque, built in 1833 by a rich trader, is covered in multicolored tiles. In the photo: the stairs where the

2691-61: Libya. Tripoli. Al Naga Mosque. The Al Naga mosque is the oldest place of worship in Tripoli. Itwas also the most important before the construction of the Karamanli mosque in 1738. Some of its

2691-30: Libya. Tripoli. Nap in the souq. Unlike other medinas in the Arab African countries, the sellers ofTripoli do not force the visitors to buy. But this may change with mass tourism.

2691-31: Libya. Tripoli. De Bono arcade. The former De Bono arcade, today renamed the Al Karamaarcade, will be restored for the first time since its construction by the Italian colonists in the thirties.

2691-32: Libya. Tripoli. Coppersmithes souq. At the foot of the Clock Tower, the copperware workers ofthe Al Ghizdarq souk make, among other things, pots, jugs, plates, and crescents that ornament mosques.

2691-27: Libya. Tripoli. City walls and hotel Corinthia. The city walls of the Bab El Jedid gate still protect the old city from the modern, whose present-day symbol is the Corinthia hotel, the new Mecca for finding one's wayaround this city that never stops spreading.

2691-33: Libya. Tripoli. Small streets in the medina. The medina of Tripoli is composed of hundreds ofminiscule labyrinth-like streets with archways to protect from the sun.

2691-34: Libya. Tripoli. Zawiya Al Kadriyya. Old town. Medina . Across from the Al Naga mosque, a smallshaky-looking minaret indicates the Zawiya Al Kadriyya. In this part of town can be found the liveliest

2691-35: Libya. Tripoli. Jamahiriya Museum. Reconstruction of the picturesque typical life of Libyannomads, in the Jamahiriya museum.

2691-36: Libya. Tripoli. Sidi Salem mosque. Children playing football. Old town. Constructed on the side ofthe hill of Uiat (the former Tripoli city), the Sidi Salem mosque is said to date from before the 15th century.

2691-37: Libya. Tripoli. Souq closed. The sellers in the souk close their shops during lunchtime and untilthe middle of the afternoon. A simple sheet covers the goods to be sold.

2691-38: Libya. Tripoli. Harbour. Fisherman. Symbol of the years under embargo, the rusted carcasses ofships in the port of Tripoli today provide for an excellent catch of fish, to the fishermen's great joy.

2691-39: Libya. Tripoli. Karamanli palace. The Karamanli palace, constructed in the 18th century, hasbecome the museum of Ottoman culture. Each room represents the daily life of rich Ottoman families.

2691-40: Libya. Tripoli. Darghout bathhouse. Today, there are only two public baths in the old city. Most ofthe rare clients are immigrants who do not have bathrooms in their small apartments.

2691-04: Libya. Tripoli. Gurji mosque. One of the most beautiful places of worship in the medina, the Gurji Mosque, constructed in 1833 by a rich trader, is covered in multicolored tiles. On the picture: the stairs where theimam preaches.

2691-41: Libya. Tripoli. Green Square. Used as a parking lot during the day, the Green Square, linkbetween the medina and the Italian district, becomes in the evening a pleasure spot for the Tripolians. For

2691-42: Libya. Tripoli. Abandoned boat used in a recent past as restaurant. Today half sunk, the boatOuagadougou was still just a few years ago one of the upper-crust restaurants of Tripoli.

2691-43: Libya. Tripoli. Trendy shop. The First of September Street is the trendy occidental street in theItalian district. Everywhere, the shops sell fashion clothing, which has nothing to do with traditional Libyan

2691-44: Libya. Tripoli. Leaving the medina. Although they were restored a few years ago, the streets ofthe medina have been subjected to the ravages of the 20th century: for roofs, electrical wires have

2691-45: Libya. Tripoli. De Bono arcade. The former de Bono arcade, today renamed the Al Karamaarcade, will be restored for the first time since its construction by the Italian colonists in the thirties.

2691-46: Libya. Tripoli. The newlyweds' souq. The newlyweds' souk is a new market place located outsideof the city. Here, the future brides can find a large part of their trousseau.

2691-47: Libya. Tripoli. Coffeehouse on a boat. People relaxing on a boat used as a coffeehouse acrossfrom the Tripoli harbour. Since the end of the embargo, there is more activity in the port.

2691-48: Libya. Tripoli. Helga bathhouse. There are only few traditional baths remaining in Tripoli. TheHelga bath, located in the souk of the medina, is the most visited. Some clients relax, while other test the

2691-58: Libya. Tripoli. Darghout bathhouse. Seneca used to say that the public steam bath was a place where we sweat without making any effort. That's not the case for this client. On the marble slabs, many regularcustomers are trying to keep in shape.

2691-49: Libya. Tripoli. Old harbour. Tripoli has kept its old harbour. There are no ocean liners here, justsome old boats that head out to sea each day.

2691-50: Libya. Tripoli. Gold souq. Gold and jewelry are sold in the As Sagha souk but also by streetvendors who set up small stalls and wait for customers.

2691-51: Libya. Tripoli. Gaddafi Coffeeshop. Teatime in a coffeehouse, under the watchful eye of theGuide, in power for 40 years

2691-52: Libya. Tripoli. Old house in the medina. The medina is composed of Ottoman houses that areoften dilapidated because of a lack of maintenance. The owners of this house have realized the value of it

2691-53: Libya. Tripoli. Coffeehouse in the medina. After their nap, men meet in the many coffeehouseslocated in the small streets of the medina.

2691-54: Libya. Tripoli. Darghout mosque. The Darghout mosque was named in honor of the famouscorsair Darghout Pacha, who was governor of Tripoli in the 16th century. Its unusual "T" form came about

2691-55: Libya. Tripoli. Ben Zekri caravanserai. The medina was said to be composed of about fiftycaravansaries. The restored Ben Zekri caravanserai is now the place for gold workshops.

2691-56: Libya. Tripoli. Post office coffeeshop. Italian heritage. Italian atmosphere at the Café de la Poste,located under the huge Mussolini styled archways of the Institute of Social Welfare.

2691-20: Libya. Tripoli. Beach. Modern city. The coast Tripoli is adorning itself with huge towers. The inhabitants of the medina are leaving its old small streets, preferring the new, comfortable apartments. In a few years,Tripoli has changed, leaving some Libyans perplexed about the future.

2691-57: Libya. Tripoli. Weaver break. At lunchtime, this weaving workshop becomes the meeting placefor friends in the district. On the walls, there are hundreds of pictures of the medina's inhabitants.

2691-62: Libya. Tripoli. Fortress. Many times destroyed and reconstructed, the Assarya Al Hamra citadelowes its exterior appearance to the Spanish colonists of the 16th century and the interiors to the

2691-59: Libya. Tripoli. Hotel entrance hall with a "seventies" design. Phone booths with a seventiesdesign, in the entrance hall of the Bab el Bahr "sea gate" hotel.

2691-60: Libya. Tripoli. New shopping center. The El Talat shopping centre has just opened. Inside thismall, a lot of international trademarks are sold. This is something new for the Libyan people, now that the

2691-63: Libya. Tripoli. General view of the medina. Restored a few years ago, the medina of Tripoli is visited by the tourists again. The former Carthaginian trading post has regained its influence of old.

The new Tripoliof Africa

For years Tripoli would make theheadlines, under the rubric "troublemaker"in the so-called international scene. Andwhen playing in the major league, themaverick players are hardly appreciated.Vilified for a long time, the capital of Libyais finally freeing itself of its satanicreputation to today aspire to the title ofmentor to the whole of the Mediterranean.

If the story of Tripoli were told? it would bethe story of a long life, of a star, forgottenand rejected, but ready to do anything toonce again take center stage. A sadenough story made up of faded sequinsand sadly missed moments of glory andabove all being incessantly in thespotlight. The old "western Tripoli", as it is known inArabic to distinguish it from theeponymous Lebanese port, is awakeningfrom a long sleep. No Prince Charminghas stepped in, just an inexpressible will toexist beyond its borders, outside of thistoo neglected continent. The label of"outlaw state" stuck on Libya by RonaldReagan in the 1980s seems to be peelingoff little by little. The international policy ofisolationism is certainly over: the capital isfinally disentangling itself from its longdrawn out scandals. On its restored docks,the ballet of boats has started again.Cargo ships, and, since not too long ago,cruise liners: foreigners from the otherside of the Mediterranean are againadventuring into the thousand year oldalleys of the medina. 25 centuries ago the life of this formerCarthaginian trading post called Uiat was

governed by the sailors' fishing sprees.From a fishermen and travelingmerchant's village, Uiat became the greatOea in the 1st century BC, immortalsymbol of a big Roman city. Three metersof sediment accumulated over thecenturies cover the history of this onceopulent and influential city. A fewtreasures still emerge from the carpet ofsand: four isolated columns in the middleof a deserted alley, the scattered ruins ofa temple, and above all the arch ofMarcus Aurelius, precious remains of itsRoman past. Accorded to an old prophecy"anyone who would dare damage the archwill be subjected to the worst punishment".A fearsome warning which neverthelessdid not stop some dauntless people fromtransforming it into a shop, then a cinemaand theatre. Carefully kept sheathed inbarriers, it is henceforth the temple of thespringtime amours of pigeons... and notexactly homing ones. Two mosques, SidiAbdoul Wahab from the 17th century andDarghout, one of the oldest in the city andtoday decked out in its brightly shiningelectric board telling prayer times, watchover the arch. Or rather hold it in their grip,delicate manner of showing that a pagehad been turned. Because for thirteenlong centuries, Tripoli has traveled theages veiled: forget Uiat and Oea, it'sMuslim Tarablus.. with mixed blood fromthe Spanish conquistadors, Ottomans andeven Italians. The Libyan spirit is in the image of Tripoli:a mosaic of cosmopolitan faces on which,like old parchment, each wrinkle tells thetraveler its story. Huddling within the heartof its ramparts of stones many timesreplaced, the medina lives to the rhythm ofthe calls to prayer and the TV programs.It's not the souk of Aleppo here, but on theroofs of the old houses the satellite dishespile up, often all rusted. Teenagers strutabout in front of Star Academy Maghreb

while immigrants delight in documentariesin which the audacious travel the world. Toeach their escape. In the café Jrid de Bab Al Jedid, the wallstransport the customers to snow-coveredMoroccan mountains. It's the meetingplace of ex-patriots, all Tunisians,Moroccans or Algerians. The haggardeyes, the sad features and the velvetytaste of capucin on the lips, they try to notthink too much of their countries... InLibya, half of the workers come fromabroad. And so each day, the hands getbusy in the Al Harrara souk. Under theazure plastic coverings or in the littleshops, the Sudanese restaurateursprepare lunch, while the Chadiancouturiers work to the rhythm of the "tactac" of the sewing machines and theAfrican music spat out of the record sellersspeakers. All that is far from the peace of the AnNakhasa, Al Mushir, Al Helga or Al Liffasouks, where Tripoli the African stepsaside in favor of Tripoli the Arab. In thispart of the city, no one is in a hurry.Everyone lives to the rhythm of the ClockTower whose bells have not rung for eons.The gait is slower, the conversationssifted. In the Az Zahar fonduk, turned intoa bric-à-brac café, the men pass the timesmoking a hookah. Not far from the curlingwreaths of smoke, the coppersmiths in theAl Ghizdarq souk unobtrusively fashionmarmites, pots, platters and othermetalware... At the Harouss fonduk,Mohamed Hamza makes, despite his tiredeyes, traditional Libyan costumes. Asdoes his friend and competitor, Hadj Ali.For fifty years the doyen of the Al Liffasouk incessantly embroiders the farmla,Libyan vests made of Syrian fabric andItalian threads. Sheltered from the sun,the women selling gold, dressed in whiteveils, like virgins yet certainly not bashfulones, patiently await a buyer. And out of

the question to bargain too long with thesedecorated matrons. Neglected for years, the medina is little bylittle regaining its pride: its famousmosques with cupolas, an original Libyanfeature, have been rehabilitated, as wellas its khans, now transformed into shops,its two last baths, silent doctors for the fewrare clients, and its decrepit Ottomanhouses. Symbol of this achievement: theQaramanli palace today houses amuseum that recounts the life of the richfamilies of the 18th century. What a joy itmust be for these wax Ottomans toeternally relive those years of ease... Thehistoric treasures have thus beenrestored, one after the other. The formerFrench and British consulates serve aslibraries; the old Spanish castle, once aprison then a school for monks, is now theHouse of Culture for children; the SarayaAl Hamra castle, built in the spot of aRoman palace, has been transformed intothe national museum, and, last little thing,the former tobacco factory is the Heritagemuseum. Libya has given itself over to itsfetish: culture... Or more precisely, to everythingconnected to its past. Even the buildingsfrom the last colonization have beenrestored. The Al Karama Gallery,ex-Galleria De Bono and symbol of the1930s, will undergo its first big facelift... bya team of Italians. They don't do things byhalves! So, the intimate streets of the medinacontrast with those of the Italian quarter.Large avenues, immense white façades,high arcades: the Tripolitanians live herein the "lento tempo" of the Dolce Vita. Atthe sidewalk café on the Square ofAlgeria, under the immense mussolinianarcades of the Institute of Social Welfare,men sip their cappuccinos and enter intoheated discussions about soccer. Theteam Milan Inter or Milan AC, impossible

to get them to agree. On the avenues, therounded red and white awnings arealways out, although torn and covered indust; the curious walk on the cast-ironplaques engraved with "Pisano SalernoFoundery"; the inhabitants have kept thatreally Italian gift of gab and the shopsfollow European fashions. Sequined,low-cut evening gowns, miniskirts, highheels: the fashionatas on the street ofSeptember 1st, these young women alsopro-Milan, keep themselves well-hidden.We are far from the traditional LibyanMuslim dress seen on the streets of themedina. Result of the regrouping of the old cities ofOea, Leptis and Sabrata, the so named"Three Cities" seems to have conservedits three faces: the old quarter, the Italianand the Gargaresh quarters. If themedina's heart is still beating, it is little bylittle slowing down. The Libyans aredeserting the tiny alleys and prefer thecomforts of new housing. Along thegargantuan avenues of Gargaresh, cranesfor the future real estate complexes lineup next to the existing blocks of buildings.The girls are trendy, the shops lit up,fast-foods packed out and the cars allChinese. Anonymous in this mad trafficscene, the young men, often dressed in ashirt from some big Italian couturier, eyethe young ladies, mobile phone in onehand, steering wheel in the other, proud tobe driving their "Cherry", the new car infashion. "It's possible" announce the signseverywhere. Yes, in Tripoli, everything isnow possible. A brand new supermarkethas just opened. Welcomed by acardboard André Agassi, the Libyansbrowse in Jennyfer, H&M, Nokia, LG and

eat at Chicken Cottage, a copy ofMcDonald's, still forbidden in the country.The Bab el Medina complex, with itsshopping mall, hotels and towers, willsoon see the light of day. And then, thereis the creation of the oppositionnewspaper Oea, the launching of threenew television channels, the constructionof the future international airport, theluxury residence Palm City, the TripoliGreen Belt with its 750 hectares ofgreenery around the city and the (too?)many tourist projects included in the Plan2008-2012, which allocates this sector upto 50 billion euros. The population isstarting to worry. Yes to opening up, butnot in any old way. "We don't want tobecome Hammamet or Marrakech",makes clear Ali, fifty-something. Forty years after the establishment of theGrand Jamahiriya, Muammar Gaddafiplans to make of Libya a place not to beignored on the Mediterranean, in Africaand in the Arab League. In the streets ofTripoli, you count more green flags thanofficial portraits of the Guide and moreFulla dolls than trinkets with the effigy ofthe leader, today world record holder forhis time in power? He who definedhimself as a "revolutionary" affirmed in aninterview in 2000 that he was "verysatisfied with what has been achieved inthirty years", but "there remains much toimprove". Ten years later, his wish hasbeen granted. A positive point for themajority of Libyans... who shouldnevertheless not forget one of theirfamous proverbs: "Koul takhira fi'khira" or,"sometimes, it's better to be late".

Captions

01-Libya. Tripoli. View of the medina andon the harbourRestored a few years ago, the medina ofTripoli is visited by the tourists again. Theformer Carthaginian trading post hasregained its influence of old.

02- Libye. Tripoli. Place VerteParking la journée, la Place Verte,charnière entre la médina et le quartieritalien, devient le soir le lieu dedivertissement des Tripolitains. Pourquelques pièces, les jeunes se fontphotographier sur des motos et lescouples dans de merveilleuses panièresdécorées. 02-Libya. Tripoli. Green SquareUsed as a parking lot during the day, theGreen Square, link between the medinaand the Italian district, becomes in theevening a pleasure spot for the Tripolians.For only a few coins, young people havethemselves photographed on motorcyclesand couples in beautiful decorated largebaskets.

03- Libye. Tripoli. Souk Erbaa Al KadimEn 1981, Kadhafi avait fait fermer lessouks au profit des magasins d'Etat, maisdevant cet échec, le Guide autorisa leurréouverture. Aujourd'hui, ils font ànouveau partie de la vie quotidienne.03-Libya. Tripoli. Souq Erbaa Al KadimIn 1981, Muammar al-Gaddafi had thesouks closed in favor of state shops. Butfaced with the failure of this, he authorizedtheir reopening. Today, souks are againpart of daily life.

04-Libye. Tripoli. Mosquée GurjiL'un des plus beaux lieux de culte de lamédina, la mosquée Gurji, érigée en 1833

par un riche marchand, est couverte defaïences polychromes. Ici, les escaliers duminbar où prêche l'imam.04-Libya. Tripoli. Gurji mosqueOne of the most beautiful places ofworship in the medina, the Gurji Mosque,constructed in 1833 by a rich trader, iscovered in multicolored tiles. On thepicture: the stairs where the imampreaches.

05-Libye. Tripoli. Projets futuristesEn quelques années, les projetsimmobiliers ont fleuri dans Tripoli. Partout,de nouvelles tours design et des centrescommerciaux se construisent. 05-Libya. Tripoli. Futuristic projectsIn just a few years, the real estate projectshave prospered. Everywhere in the city,new contemporary design towers andshopping centers are built.

06-Libye. Tripoli. Ruelle de la médina.FootballSouvent abandonnée par les Libyens quipréfèrent le confort des nouvelleshabitations, la médina accueille désormaissurtout des étrangers. Ses étroitesvenelles restent un immense espace deliberté pour les enfants.06-Libya. Tripoli. Street in the medina.SoccerAbandoned by the Libyans who prefer thenew comfortable houses, the medinahenceforth houses mostly foreigners. Itsnarrow streets remain a place for childrento play.

07-Libye. Tripoli. Café de la Poste.Héritage italienAmbiance italienne au café de la Poste,situé sous les immenses arcadesmussoliniennes de l'Institut de laProtection sociale.07-Libya. Tripoli. Café de la Poste. Italianheritage

Italian atmosphere at the Café de laPoste. This coffeehouse is located underthe huge Mussolini styled archways of theInstitute for Social Welfare.

08-Libye. Tripoli. Boutique branchéeLa rue du 1er septembre est la ruebranchée et occidentale du quartier italien.Partout des boutiques vendent des habitsqui n'ont rien à voir avec la tenuetraditionnelle libyenne...08-Libya. Tripoli. Trendy shopThe First of September Street is the trendyoccidental street in the Italian district.Everywhere, the shops sell fashionclothing, which has nothing to do withtraditional Libyan dress.

09-Libye. Tripoli. Musée de la JamahiriyaHall d'entrée du musée archéologique deTripoli, le plus grand musée du pays et quiabrite entre autres des statues provenantdu site romain de Leptis Magna.09-Libya. Tripoli. Jamahiriya MuseumEntrance hall of the archaeologicalmuseum of Tripoli. This museum, thelargest in the country, houses amongother things statues from the LeptisMagna archaeological site.

10-Libye. Tripoli. Mosquée Al ShaabSituée en dehors de la vieille ville, lamosquée Al Shaab doit désormaiscohabiter avec toutes les industriessituées sur le littoral. 10-Libya. Tripoli. Al Shaab mosqueLocated outside the old city, the Al Shaabmosque must henceforth cohabit with allthe industry on the coast.

11-Libye. Tripoli. Café Bab el JedidLes clients du café Bab el Jedid sontquasiment tous Algériens, Marocains ouTunisiens. Ici, c'est surtout le lieu deretrouvailles des immigrés. 11-Libya. Tripoli. Bab el Jedid coffeeshop

Most of the customers at the Bab el Jedidcoffeehouse are Algerians, Moroccans orTunisians. This is a meeting place formany immigrants.

12-Libye. Tripoli. CornicheAncien comptoir corinthien, le port deTripoli accueille à nouveau les cargosmarchands, après un embargo deplusieurs années. Certains habitants sedélectent alors de ce nouveau balai debateaux. 12-Libya. Tripoli. CornicheAfter years under embargo, trade shipsagain pull into the port of Tripoli, a formerCorinthian trading post. Some inhabitantsdelight in the sight of this new ballet ofboats.

13-Libye. Tripoli. Musée nationalCollection de statues antiques romainesdans le musée archéologique qui occupela partie Est de la citadelle de Tripoli.13-Libya. Tripoli. National MuseumCollection of ancient Roman statues in thearchaeological museum occupying theeastern part of the citadel of Tripoli.

14-Libye. Tripoli. Réception d'hôtelHall d'entrée de l'hôtel de « standing », leBab el Bahr. Aujourd'hui, on trouve plusde portait de Kadhafi dans les hôtels quedans les rues de la capitale.14-Libya. Tripoli. Hotel entrance hallEntrance hall of the luxury hotel Bab elBahr. Today, there are more portraits ofMuammar al-Gaddafi in hotels than in thestreets of the capital.

15-Libye. Tripoli. Venelle de la médinaLa médina de Tripoli est composée decentaines de minuscules venelleslabyrinthiques à arcades, qui permettentde se protéger du soleil. 15-Libya. Tripoli. Small streets in themedina

15-Libye. Tripoli. Venelle de la médinaLa médina de Tripoli est composée decentaines de minuscules venelleslabyrinthiques à arcades, qui permettentde se protéger du soleil. 15-Libya. Tripoli. Small streets in themedinaThe medina of Tripoli is composed ofhundreds of miniscule labyrinth-like streetswith archways to protect from the sun.

16-Libye. Tripoli. Médina La vieille ville est composée denombreuses bâtisses ottomanes. Derrièreles portes de bois et les murs colorés secachent souvent des trésors,malheureusement souvent dans un tristeétat, faute d'entretien. 16-Libya. Tripoli. Old townThe old city is composed of manyottoman-style houses. Behind the wooddoors and the colorful walls hide manytreasures, unfortunately in a sorry statefrom lack of maintenance.

17-Libye. Tripoli. Arc Marc Aurèle etmosquéeVestige de son prestigieux passé romain,Tripoli a préservé l'arc de triomphe deMarc Aurèle, précédé de la mosquée SidiAbdul Wahab du XVIIe siècle.17-Libya. Tripoli. Marc Aurele arch andmosqueVestige of its prestigious Roman past,Tripoli has preserved the triumphal arch ofMarcus Aurelius, with, in front of it, the SidiAbdul Wahab mosque, dating from the17th century.

18-Libye. Tripoli. Souk Al LiffaSi les escaliers mécaniques des centrescommerciaux sont désormais les

nouveaux lieux de drague pour les jeunes,le souk est encore l'endroit idéal pour faired'agréables rencontres.18-Libya. Tripoli. Souq Al LiffaIf the escalators of the shopping centersare the new places for young people toflirt, the souk remains the ideal place forpleasurable encounters.

19-Libye. Tripoli. Hammam TajouraSitué en banlieue de Tripoli, le hammamTajoura est beaucoup plus fréquenté queles hammams de la médina, puisquecomposé d'une piscine, d'un sauna, decabines avec des baignoires d'eau chaudeet d'un mini bazar.19-Libya. Tripoli. Tajoura bathsThe Tajoura bath is located in the suburbof Tripoli. This bath is more visited thanthose of the medina because it iscomposed of a swimming pool, a sauna,cabins with hot water bathtubs and a smallbazaar.

20-Libye. Tripoli. Plage. Ville moderneLe littoral de Tripoli se drape de grandestours. Les habitants délaissent les ruellesde la médina et préfèrent le confort desnouvelles habitations. En quelquesannées, Tripoli a changé de visage,laissant quelques habitants perplexespour l'avenir. 20-Libya. Tripoli. Beach. Modern cityThe coast Tripoli is adorning itself withhuge towers. The inhabitants of themedina are leaving its old small streets,preferring the new, comfortableapartments. In a few years, Tripoli haschanged, leaving some Libyans perplexedabout the future.

21-Libye. Tripoli. Café des SoudanaisDans cette partie de la vieille ville,beaucoup d'immigrés tiennent lescommerces et les restaurants. Ici, desSoudanais.

21-Libya. Tripoli. Sudanese coffeeshopIn this part of the old city, manyimmigrants run the shops and restaurants.In the photo: Sudanese immigrants.

22-Libye. Tripoli. Musée NationalSalle de Leptis Magna au Musée de laJamahiriya avec la représentation de l'arcde Septime Sévère et les vestiges de sesfresques. 22-Libya. Tripoli. National MuseumThe Leptis Magna Hall in the JamahiriyaMuseum (National Museum) with therepresentation of the Septimius SeverusArch and remains of its frescos.

23-Libye. Tripoli. Souk des tissusMalgré l'arrivée des chaînesinternationales de vêtements, leséchoppes du souk du tissu ont encore desclients. Ici, on vend surtout les tenuestraditionnelles, comme les farmla, giletslibyens confectionnés dans la médina. 23-Libya. Tripoli. Clothes souqIn spite of the arrival of the newinternational clothing retailers, the stalls ofthe souk still have customers. Here is soldabove all the traditional clothing, likefarmla, those Libyan waistcoats or vests,made in the medina.

24-Libye. Tripoli. Madrassa OthmanPachaConstruite à la fin du XVIIe siècle, lamadrassa Othman Pacha est l'une desplus belles écoles coraniques de la ville.Son plan architectural s'inspire des écolesd'Iran du Xe-XIe siècles.24-Libya. Tripoli. Othman Pacha MadrasaThe Othman Pacha madrassa, built at theend of the 17th century, is one of the mostbeautiful Koranic schools in the city. Itsarchitectural plan was inspired by theIranian schools of the 10th and 11thcenturies.

25-Libye. Tripoli. Couturier du soukAu souk Al Liffa, voilà 50 ans qu'Hadj Alibrode sans relâche les farmla, les giletslibyens faits de tissu syrien et de filsd'Italie.25-Libya. Tripoli. Souq designerFor 50 years, Hadj Ali has beenunceasingly embroidering the farmla in theAl Liffa souk. These waistcoats or vestsare made with Syrian fabrics and Italianthreads.

26-Libye. Tripoli. Fondouk HaroussPause des tisserands, dont l'un d'entreeux, Mohamed Hamza confectionnedepuis 45 ans les tenues traditionnelleslibyennes dans ce fondouk Harouss.26-Libya. Tripoli. Harouss caravanseraiBreak time for the weavers, one of who,Mohamed Hamza, has been makingtraditional Libyan clothing in this Harousscaravansary for 45 years.

27-Libye. Tripoli. RempartsLes remparts de la porte Bab El Jedidprotègent encore la vieille ville de lamoderne, dont le symbole actuel estl'hôtel Corinthia, la nouvelle Mecque pourse diriger dans cette cité qui ne cesse des'étendre.27-Libya. Tripoli. City wallsThe city walls of the Bab El Jedid gate stillprotect the old city from the modern,whose present-day symbol is the Corinthiahotel, the new Mecca for finding one's wayaround this city that never stopsspreading.

28-Libye. Tripoli. Mosquée GurjiL'un des plus beaux lieux de culte de lamédina, la mosquée Gurji, érigée en 1833par un riche marchand, est couverte defaïences polychromes. Ici, les escaliers duminbar où prêche l'imam.28-Libya. Tripoli. Gurji mosqueOn of the most beautiful places of worship

29-Libye. Tripoli. AéroportDepuis la fin 2003, les compagniesaériennes internationales reprennent leursvols et desservent de nouveau Tripoli.Symbole de cette ouverture : un nouvelaéroport va bientôt être construit.29-Libya. Tripoli. AirportSince the end of 2003, internationalairlines are again landing in Tripoli. Sign ofthis opening up: a new airport will be builtvery soon.

30-Libye. Tripoli. Sieste au soukÀ la différence des autres médinas duMaghreb, les commerçants de Tripoli neforcent pas la main des visiteurs. Unespécificité qui risque de changer avecl'arrivée massive des touristes.30-Libya. Tripoli. Nap in the souqUnlike other medinas in the Arab Africancountries, the sellers of Tripoli do not forcethe visitors to buy. But this may changewith mass tourism.

31-Libye. Tripoli. Galerie de BonoL'ancienne Galerie de Bono, aujourd'huigalerie Al Karama, va subir sa premièrerestauration depuis sa construction par lescolons italiens dans les années trente. 31-Libya. Tripoli. De Bono arcadeThe former De Bono arcade, todayrenamed the Al Karama arcade, will berestored for the first time since itsconstruction by the Italian colonists in thethirties.

32-Libye. Tripoli. Souk des dinandiersAu pied de la Tour de l'Horloge, lesdinandiers du souk Al Ghizdarq façonnentmarmites, pots, plateaux, croissants quiornent la coupole des mosquées et autresquincailleries.

32-Libya. Tripoli. Coppersmithes souqAt the foot of the Clock Tower, thecopperware workers of the Al Ghizdarqsouk make, among other things, pots,jugs, plates, and crescents that ornamentmosques.

33-Libye. Tripoli. Ruelle de la médinaLa médina de Tripoli est composée decentaines de minuscules venelleslabyrinthiques à arcades, qui permettentde se protéger du soleil. 33-Libya. Tripoli. Small streets in themedinaThe medina of Tripoli is composed ofhundreds of miniscule labyrinth-like streetswith archways to protect from the sun.

34-Libye. Tripoli. Zawiya Al Kadriyya.Vieille ville. MédinaFaisant face à la mosquée Al Naga, unpetit minaret en équilibre signale la ZawiyaAl Kadriyya. Dans ce quartier se trouve lec?ur battant des souks les plus animés. 34-Libya. Tripoli. Zawiya Al Kadriyya. Oldtown. MedinaAcross from the Al Naga mosque, a smallshaky-looking minaret indicates theZawiya Al Kadriyya. In this part of towncan be found the liveliest souks.

35-Libye. Tripoli. Musée de la JamahiriyaReconstitution d'une scène de viepittoresque de nomades libyens au muséede la Jamahiriya. 35-Libya. Tripoli. Jamahiriya MuseumReconstruction of the picturesque typicallife of Libyan nomads, in the Jamahiriyamuseum.

36-Libye. Tripoli. Mosquée Sidi Salem.Enfants football. Vieille ville. MédinaBâtie sur le flanc d'une colline contrelaquelle se blottissait Uiat (l'ancienneTripoli), la mosquée Sidi Salem seraitantérieure au XVe siècle.

36-Libya. Tripoli. Sidi Salem mosque.Children playing football. Old town.MedinaConstructed on the side of the hill of Uiat(the former Tripoli city), the Sidi Salemmosque is said to date from before the15th century.

37-Libye. Tripoli. Souk pendant lafermeture À l'heure du déjeuner et jusque vers lemilieu de l'après-midi, les marchands dessouks ferment boutique. Un simple draprecouvre les produits vendus. 37-Libya. Tripoli. Souq closedThe sellers in the souk close their shopsduring lunchtime and until the middle ofthe afternoon. A simple sheet covers thegoods to be sold.

38-Libye. Tripoli. Port. PêcheurSymbole des années noires dues àl'embargo, des carcasses rouillées debateaux en plein c?ur du célèbre port deTripoli, font aujourd'hui le bonheur despêcheurs.38-Libya. Tripoli. Harbour. FishermanSymbol of the years under embargo, therusted carcasses of ships in the port ofTripoli today provide for an excellent catchof fish, to the fishermen's great joy.

39-Libye. Tripoli. Palais KaramanliLe palais Karamanli, du XVIIIe siècle, estaujourd'hui transformé en musée de laculture ottomane. Chaque pièce illustre lavie des riches familles ottomanes. 39-Libya. Tripoli. Karamanli palaceThe Karamanli palace, constructed in the18th century, has become the museum ofOttoman culture. Each room representsthe daily life of rich Ottoman families.

40-Libye. Tripoli. Hammam DarghoutAujourd'hui seulement au nombre de deuxdans la vieille ville, les hammams

accueillent encore quelques bien raresclients, surtout des immigrés, privés desalle de bains, dans leur logementsommaire. 40-Libya. Tripoli. Darghout bathhouseToday, there are only two public baths inthe old city. Most of the rare clients areimmigrants who do not have bathrooms intheir small apartments.

41-Libye. Tripoli. Place VerteParking la journée, la Place Verte,charnière entre la médina et le quartieritalien, devient le soir le lieu dedivertissement des Tripolitains. Pourquelques pièces, les jeunes se fontphotographier sur des motos et lescouples dans de merveilleuses panièresdécorées. 41-Libya. Tripoli. Green SquareUsed as a parking lot during the day, theGreen Square, link between the medinaand the Italian district, becomes in theevening a pleasure spot for the Tripolians.For only a few coins, young people havethemselves photographed on motorcyclesand couples in beautiful decorated largebaskets.

42-Libye. Tripoli. Bateau restaurantabandonnéAujourd'hui à moitié coulé, le bateauOuagadougou fut encore il y a quelquesannées un des restaurants les plushuppés de la capitale. 42-Libya. Tripoli. Abandoned boat used asrestaurantToday half sunk, the boat Ouagadougouwas still just a few years ago one of theupper-crust restaurants of Tripoli.

43-Libye. Tripoli. Boutique branchéeLa rue du 1er septembre est la ruebranchée et occidentale du quartier italien.Partout des boutiques vendent des habitsqui n'ont rien à voir avec la tenue

traditionnelle libyenne.43-Libya. Tripoli. Trendy shopThe First of September Street is the trendyoccidental street in the Italian district.Everywhere, the shops sell fashionclothing, which has nothing to do withtraditional Libyan dress.

44-Libye. Tripoli. Sortie de la médinaBien que restaurées depuis quelquesannées, les ruelles de la médina ont subiles outrages du XXe siècle : en guise detoit, les fils électriques se sont substituésaux arcades de pierre.44-Libya. Tripoli. Leaving the medinaAlthough they were restored a few yearsago, the streets of the medina have beensubjected to the ravages of the 20thcentury: for roofs, electrical wires havereplaced the stone arcades.

45-Libye. Tripoli. Galerie de BonoL'ancienne Galerie de Bono, aujourd'huigalerie Al Karama, va subir sa premièrerestauration depuis sa construction par lescolons italiens dans les années trente. 45-Libya. Tripoli. De Bono arcadeThe former de Bono arcade, todayrenamed the Al Karama arcade, will berestored for the first time since itsconstruction by the Italian colonists in thethirties.

46-Libye. Tripoli. Souk des jeunes mariésLe souk des jeunes mariés est unnouveau marché situé en dehors de laville. Ici, les futures épouses trouvent unebonne partie de leur trousseau. 46-Libya. Tripoli. The newlyweds' souqThe newlyweds' souk is a new marketplace located outside of the city. Here, thefuture brides can find a large part of their

trousseau.

47-Libye. Tripoli. Café bateau Moment de détente sur un bateautransformé en café, en face du port deTripoli, qui a repris de l'activité depuis lafin de l'embargo. 47-Libya. Tripoli. Coffeehouse on a boatPeople relaxing on a boat used as acoffeehouse across from the Tripoliharbour. Since the end of the embargo,there is more activity in the port.

48-Libye. Tripoli. Hammam HelgaIl reste peu de hammams traditionnelsdans la capitale libyenne. Situé dans lesouk de la médina, le hammam Helga estle plus fréquenté. Certains clients seprélassent, tandis que d'autres testent unmassage vivifiant.48-Libya. Tripoli. Helga bathhouseThere are only few traditional bathsremaining in Tripoli. The Helga bath,located in the souk of the medina, is themost visited. Some clients relax, whileother test the stimulating massage.

49-Libye. Tripoli. Vieux portTripoli a conservé son vieux port. Ici, pasde gros paquebots, mais quelquesbateaux anciens qui prennent chaque jourla mer. 49-Libya. Tripoli. Old harbourTripoli has kept its old harbour. There areno ocean liners here, just some old boatsthat head out to sea each day.

50-Libye. Tripoli. Souk de l'orL'or et les bijoux sont vendus au souk asSagha mais aussi par des marchandes quis'installent un étal de fortune et attendentle client.50-Libya. Tripoli. Gold souqGold and jewelry are sold in the As Saghasouk but also by street vendors who setup small stalls and wait for customers.

51-Libye. Tripoli. Café KadhafiPause thé dans un café sous l'?il duGuide, au pouvoir depuis 40 ans. 51-Libya. Tripoli. Gaddafi CoffeeshopTeatime in a coffeehouse, under thewatchful eye of the Guide, in power for 40years

52-Libye. Tripoli. Maison de la médinaLa médina est composée de maisonsottomanes, souvent en piteux état, fautede moyens pour restaurer. Ici, lespropriétaires ont pris conscience de lavaleur de leur bien et ont entamé lestravaux. 52-Libya. Tripoli. Old house in the medinaThe medina is composed of Ottomanhouses that are often dilapidated becauseof a lack of maintenance. The owners ofthis house have realized the value of itand have just begun the restoration work.

53-Libye. Tripoli. Café de la médinaDe nombreux cafés, investis par laclientèle masculine après l'heure de lasieste, se nichent dans les impasses de lamédina.53-Libya. Tripoli. Coffeehouse in themedinaAfter their rest, men meet in the manycoffeehouses located in the small streetsof the medina.

54-Libye. Tripoli. Mosquée DarghoutLa mosquée Darghout fut baptisée ainsien l'honneur d'un célèbre corsaire,Darghout Pacha, également premiergouverneur de Tripoli au XVIe siècle. Saforme inhabituelle en « T » fut imposéecar la mosquée utilisa le corps d'uneéglise.54-Libya. Tripoli. Darghout mosqueThe Darghout mosque was named inhonor of the famous corsair DarghoutPacha, who was governor of Tripoli in the

16th century. Its unusual "T" form cameabout because the mosque was built onthe framework of a former church.

55-Libye. Tripoli. Fondouk Ben ZekriLa médina aurait compté unecinquantaine de fondouks. Lecaravansérail Ben Zekri, restauré,accueille aujourd'hui des ateliersd'orfèvrerie. 55-Libya. Tripoli. Ben Zekri caravanseraiThe medina was said to be composed ofabout fifty caravansaries. The restoredBen Zekri caravanserai is now the placefor gold workshops.

56-Libye. Tripoli. Café de la Poste.Héritage italienAmbiance italienne au café de la Poste,situé sous les immenses arcadesmussoliniennes de l'Institut de laProtection sociale.56-Libya. Tripoli. Post office coffeeshop.Italian heritageItalian atmosphere at the Café de laPoste, located under the huge Mussolinistyled archways of the Institute of SocialWelfare.

57-Libye. Tripoli. Pause du tisserandÀ l'heure du déjeuner, cet atelier detisserand devient le lieu de rendez-vousdes amis du quartier. Au mur, sontaccrochées des centaines de photosd'habitants de la médina.57-Libya. Tripoli. Weaver breakAt lunchtime, this weaving workshopbecomes the meeting place for friends inthe district. On the walls, there arehundreds of pictures of the medina'sinhabitants.

58-Libye. Tripoli. Hammam DarghoutCe client contredit le sage Sénèque, quicritiquait le bain de vapeur, affirmant qu'ony suait sans effort. Sur les dalles de

marbre, on voit pourtant de nombreuxhabitués qui profitent de leur séance auhammam pour entretenir leur formephysique. 58-Libya. Tripoli. Darghout bathhouseSeneca used to say that the public steambath was a place where we sweat withoutmaking any effort. That's not the case forthis client. On the marble slabs, manyregular customers are trying to keep inshape.

59-Libye. Tripoli. Hall d'hôtel. Ambiance «seventies »Cabines téléphoniques au design «seventies » dans le hall d'entrée de l'hôtelBab el Bahr « la porte de la mer ».59-Libya. Tripoli. Hotel entrance hall with a"seventies" designPhone booths with a seventies design, inthe entrance hall of the Bab el Bahr "seagate" hotel.

60-Libye. Tripoli. Nouveau centrecommercialLe centre commercial El Talat vientd'ouvrir ses portes. À l'intérieur, un grandnombre de marques internationales sontproposées au client. Une nouveauté pourles Libyens, qui sortent tout juste del'embargo.60-Libya. Tripoli. New shopping centerThe El Talat shopping centre has justopened. Inside this mall, a lot ofinternational trademarks are sold. This issomething new for the Libyan people, nowthat the embargo has been lifted.

61-Libye. Tripoli. Mosquée Al NagaLa mosquée Al Naga, le plus ancien lieude culte de Tripoli, fut aussi le plusimportant jusqu'à l'édification de la

mosquée Karamanli en 1738. Certainesde ses colonnes proviennent d'édificesromains d'Oea, l'ancienne Tripoli. 61-Libya. Tripoli. Al Naga MosqueThe Al Naga mosque is the oldest place ofworship in Tripoli. It was also the mostimportant before the construction of theKaramanli mosque in 1738. Some of itscolumns were taken from the Romanbuildings of Oea, the ancient Tripoli.

62-Libye Tripoli. ForteresseMaintes fois abattue et reconstruite, lacitadelle Assarya Al Hamra doit son allureextérieure aux colons espagnols du XVIesiècle et ses aménagements intérieursaux Qaramanli (XIXe siècle). 62-Libya. Tripoli. FortressMany times destroyed and reconstructed,the Assarya Al Hamra citadel owes itsexterior appearance to the Spanishcolonists of the 16th century and theinteriors to the Qaramanli (19th century).

63-Libye. Tripoli. Vue générale de lamédinaRestaurée depuis quelques années et ànouveau fréquentée par les touristes, lamédina de Tripoli revit. L'ancien comptoircarthaginois retrouve aussi de soninfluence d'antan.63-Libya. Tripoli. General view of themedinaRestored a few years ago, the medina ofTripoli is visited by the tourists again. Theformer Carthaginian trading post hasregained its influence of old.