Bizerte
| Bizerte / Banzart Banzart Bizerta | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Bizerte / Banzart | |
| Coordinates: 37°16′28″N 9°52′26″E / 37.27444°N 9.87389°E | |
| Country |
 Tunisia |
| Governorate | Bizerte Governorate |
| Elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Population (2009) | |
| • City | 230,879 |
| • Metro | 401,144 |
| Time zone | CET (UTC+1) |
| • Summer (DST) | CEST (UTC+2) |
| Postal code | 7000 |
| Website | http://www.commune-bizerte.gov.tn |
Bizerte (Arabic: بنزرت Binzart, Berber: Benzert, Italian: Biserta), also known in English as Bizerta, is the capital city of Bizerte Governorate in Tunisia and the northernmost city in Africa. It has a population of 230,879 (2009 census).
History
Bizerte is known as the oldest and most European city in Tunisia. It was founded around 1000 BC by Phoenicians from Tyre. It is also known as the last town to remain under French control after the rest of the country won its independence from France.
Bizerte is one of the oldest cities in Tunisia and has an interesting history of settlement. It has been a Pre Roman, Christian, Pirate, French and Tunisian city and more.
Initially a small Phoenician harbor, the city came under the influence of Carthage after the defeat of Agathocles during the Punic Wars. The city was then occupied by the Romans, under the name of Hippo Diarrhytus or Hippo Zarrytus.
Bizerte was successively conquered by the Arabs in 647, by the troops of Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire in 1535 (Locals gave the city its current name at that period of time, there was a Spanish colonel called Ozard, he had a daughter that had a big impact on the locals due to her supreme beauty, people started to refer to the town combining the two words "bent Ozard" which means the Ozart's Daughter, to simplify it later to Benzart) and then by the Turks in 1574. The city then became a corsair harbour and struggled against the French and the Venetians.
With the occupation of Tunisia in 1881, France gained control of Bizerte and built a large naval harbor in the city.
In 1924, after the French government officially recognized the Soviet Union (USSR), the western military fleet of White Russia that had been kept in the port of Bizerte was returned to the Soviet government. The ships were never moved from the port and finally were sold there as scrap metal.
In March 1939, towards the end of the Spanish Civil War, Spanish Republican Navy Commander Miguel Buiza ordered the evacuation of the bulk of the Republican fleet. Three cruisers, eight destroyers and two submarines left Cartagena harbor and reached Bizerte where they were impounded by the French authorities.[1]
During the Second World War, Bizerte was occupied by the German Army and was retaken by American troops on 7 May 1943. During the fighting between the Allied forces and the German Army, many of the city inhabitants fled to the countryside or Tunis. The city had suffered significant damage during the battle.[2]
Due to Bizerte's strategic location on the Mediterranean, France wanted to retain its naval base there. France accordingly kept control of the city even after Tunisia gained its independence in 1956. In 1961 Tunisian forces blockaded the Area of bizerte and demanded French withdrawal what was supposed to be a face off turned nasty when a french helicopter took off and was fired upon. This resulted in reinforcements being brought in and when these where fired upon, France took decisive and violent action against the brave but inferior Tunisian forces. Using state of the art weapons and decisive force the French took Bizerte and Menzel Bourguiba resulting in the loss of life during the three days of 700 Tunisians (1200 wounded) and 24 French (100 wounded).
The world was shocked at the severity of the attack and following meetings at the UN security council along with international pressure on France agreement was reached and the French military finally abandoned Bizerte on 15 October 1963.
There is a beautiful cemetery in Bizerte which commemorates the lost young lives during this conflict
Geography
Bizerte is located on the north coast of Tunisia, 66 km north of Tunis and 15 km away from Cap Blanc, the northernmost point in Africa. The city is on the Mediterranean coast and is close to both Sardinia and Sicily.
Economy
Bizerte's economy is very diverse. There are several military bases and year-round tourism. As a tourist centre the region is however not as popular as the eastern coast of Tunisia. There is manufacturing (textile, auto parts, cookware), fishing, fruits and vegetables, and wheat.
Bizerte is especially well known for the great and large beaches, like Sidi Salem, La Grotte, Rasenjela, and Al Rimel.
Miscellaneous
- Bizerte is noted for its beautiful forests, beaches and scenery.[citation needed]
- The port of Bizerte is being developed into a significant Mediterranean yachting marina that was scheduled to open in May 2012. The superyacht section of the marina will be called Goga Superyacht Marina, and will have berths for yachts of up to 110m in length. It is expected that this will give a significant boost to the local economy as the yacht owners and also the hundreds of professional crew will become year-round consumers. The service industries supplying the yachts will gradually develop and bring additional employment.[3]
- The actor Abdelmajid Lakhal was born in Bizerte.[citation needed]
Titular See
Hippo Diarrhytus is a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church. In 1989–2002 it was held by Mgr. Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, then by Mgr. Jose Paala Salazar, O.P. in 2002–2004 and by Mrg. Manfred Grothe since October 14, 2004. The city and see of Hippo Diarrhytus should not be confused with those of Hippo Regius where Saint Augustine of Hippo was the bishop.
Notable residents
- Malek Jaziri, tennis player
Sister cities
References
- ↑ Thomas, Hugh. The Spanish Civil War. Penguin Books. 2001. London. p.877
- ↑ "To Bizerte With The Ii Corps". History.army.mil. Unknown parameter
|access date=ignored (|accessdate=suggested) (help) - ↑ Morley Yachts (2009-07-29). "Goga Superyacht Marina". Gogamarina.com. Retrieved 2012-08-04.
External links
- "Bizerte.Org"
- "Encyclopedia of the Orient"
- "Hippo Diarrhytus" in the Catholic Encyclopedia
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Coordinates: 37°16′N 9°52′E / 37.267°N 9.867°E