Saint Louis Cathedral, Carthage
| Saint Louis Cathedral | |
|---|---|
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| 36°51′14″N 10°19′24″E / 36.853784°N 10.323356°ECoordinates: 36°51′14″N 10°19′24″E / 36.853784°N 10.323356°E | |
| Location | Carthage |
| Country | Tunisia |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic Church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Inactive |
| Architectural type | church |
| Style | Byzantine, Gothic, Moorish, Romanesque |
| Groundbreaking | 1884 |
| Completed | 1890 |
The Acropolium, also known as Saint Louis Cathedral (French: Cathédrale Saint-Louis de Carthage), is an ancient Roman Catholic church located in Carthage, Tunisia.
The cathedral sits on the peak of Byrsa Hill, near the ruins of the ancient Punic and then Roman city. It was built atop the ruins of an old temple dedicated to Eshmun, the Punic god of healing. The edifice can still be accessed from the basement.
Since 1993, the cathedral has been known as the "Acropolium". It is no longer used for worship, but instead hosts public events or concerts of Tunisian music and classical music. Currently, the only Roman Catholic cathedral operating in Tunisia is the Cathedral of St. Vincent de Paul in Tunis.
Hussein II Bey authorised the French consul-general to build a cathedral on the site of ancient Carthage, to determine where it would be situated and to take all the land necessary for the project. His words were:
Praise to the one God, to whom all things return!
We cede in perpetuity to His Majesty the King of France a location in the Malka, sufficient to raise a religious monument in honour of King Louis IX at the place where this prince died. We commit ourselves to respect and to make respected this monument consecrated by the King of France to the memory of one of his most illustrious ancestors. Greetings from the servant of God, Hussein Pasha Bey. May the Most High be propitious! Amen.
The 17th of Safar of the year 1246. Done at Bardo the 8th of August 1830. For the consul-general Mathieu de Lesseps.
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