The Centre des Arts Vivants and the public Sidi-Bou-Yahya Garden showcase two different sides of Rades: artistic activities and a garden with a zoological area. In the wider destination of Ben Arous, the ancient site of Oudhna is a distinct historical highlight.
Art and culture at the Centre des Arts Vivants
Abdallah and Safia Farhat founded the Centre des Arts Vivants de Radès in 1982 and donated it to the Tunisian state. It is supervised by the Tunisian Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
The centre’s facilities include a large multipurpose studio and a large ceramics studio with a separate area for kilns. There are also studios for engraving, weaving and sculpture, a dance hall with a parquet floor, a photography laboratory, three individual studios for artist residencies and a library. Since December 2016, the Musée Safia Farhat museum area has also been part of the Centre.
Its activities include training workshops and artist residencies, as well as exhibitions and a wide range of cultural activities. The areas of focus mentioned therefore range from crafts and visual arts to dance and photography. If you are planning a visit or a specific date, check current visitor information and event dates in advance.
The Sidi-Bou-Yahya Garden
The public Sidi-Bou-Yahya Garden in Rades reopened after a complete renovation and restoration. Its zoological garden was also revived with animal groups from different habitats. The garden and animal area thus add a different focus to the city’s cultural offerings.
Check current operating and visitor information before your visit. This is especially useful if the garden or zoological area is to be a fixed part of your plans.
Ancient history in the wider destination of Ben Arous
The city of Oudhna, then known as Uthina, was founded at the end of the 1st century BC as a colony for veterans of the Roman 13th Legion. Oudhna probably existed before Roman rule in Africa; its settlement may date back to the time of North Africa’s indigenous Berbers. The colony reached its heyday in the 2nd century AD, particularly under Hadrian.
The amphitheatre is partly cut into a hill on the northeastern edge of the city and could hold around 16,000 spectators. The House of Ikarios covers about 2,300 square metres and contains more than 30 rooms. A mosaic floor depicts a grape harvest; the central image shows Dionysus giving Ikarios a grapevine. Several other houses paved with mosaics have been uncovered at the archaeological site.
Oudhna’s architectural features also include an ancient theatre and a historic temple known as the Temple of the Capitol. Large public cisterns stood southwest of the forum. The large public baths are a symmetrical imperial-style building covering about 10,000 square metres. Their upper level contained hot and cold rooms; the lower level was used to store firewood. An aqueduct supplied Oudhna with water, including for the baths. The artistic activities of the Centre in Rades and Oudhna’s archaeological architecture thus offer distinct cultural highlights within the destination of Ben Arous.
Discover more destinations: Gammarth, Zougueg, Manouba, La Goulette, Sidi Bou SaĂŻd, Carthago, Tunis
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