View source for Dar El Bey

{{Short description|Palace in the medina of Tunis}}
{{more citations needed|date=July 2017}}
{{Coord|36.797753|10.169065|display=title}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name = Governmental Palace
| native_name =قصر الحكومة
| native_language =aeb
| image = [[Image:Tunis Ksar El Bey.jpg|300px]]
| coordinates = <!-- {{36° 47′ 52″ N, 10° 10′ 09″ E}} -->
| location = [[Tunis]]
| area = [[Kasbah]] of Tunis
| built = 17th century
}}
'''Dar El Bey''' ({{langx|ar|دار الباي}}), also known as '''the government palace''' ({{langx|ar|قصر الحكومة}})  is an old [[palace]] in the [[medina of Tunis]], more precisely in the city's [[Kasbah]]. Nowadays, it serves as the office of [[Head of Government of Tunisia|the Head of Government of Tunisia]] but was used by guests of the State previously. It is located south of Government Square, west of Kasbah Square.
== History==
The palace was built in the 17th century during the reign of the [[Muradid dynasty|Muradid]] Bey [[Hammuda Pasha Bey]]. In 1795 the [[Husainid dynasty|Husainid]] [[Bey]] [[Hammuda ibn Ali|Hammuda Ibn Ali]] added another floor to it.
[[Henri Dunant]] considers it as «the most beautiful [[moorish]] royal house in the world».<ref>Henri Dunant, Notice sur la régence de Tunis, Genève, Imprimerie de Jules-Guillaume Fick, 1858, 261 p. (lire en ligne [archive]), p. 47</ref>
It became the main office for the [[Head of Government of Tunisia|Head of the Tunisian government]] even before the independence.
Mustapha Kaak was the first to fill that position.
== Architecture ==
The palace's decoration is very rich and diverse with, as an example, sixteen twisted columns with their arches in white [[marble]]: the rooms were designed by [[Tunisia]]n, [[Spain|Spanish]] and [[Morocco|Moroccan]] artists. These rooms are distinguished by their special rooftops highly decorated with painted scenes and precious materials, as well as Andalusian style [[faience]]. The courtyard is paved in white marble and surrounded by a [[portico]].<ref>Henri Saladin, Tunis et Kairouan, Paris, Henri Laurens, coll. "Les Villes d'art célèbres", 1908, p. 52-53</ref>
<gallery>
Dar El Bey.JPG|Façade of  Dar El Bey in the Kasbah
Kasbah-Kassus.jpg|General view of the palace
</gallery>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
{{Palaces of Tunis}}
{{Portal|Africa}}
[[Category:Palaces in the medina of Tunis|El Bey]]
[[Category:Royal residences in Tunisia]]
{{tunisia-stub}}