The “Iznik” suite presents a decorative ensemble of a great scarcity, associating to the Tunisian aesthetics of eighteenth century (existing also in other “historical” and “grand historical suites”), a collection of Ottoman earthenware glazed tiles (faiences) from Anatolian city of Iznik (antique “Nicea”) of the first half of the seventeenth century and fragments of French bucolic decorations from before French Revolution.
Floors are paved with ancient marble slabs; walls are entirely covered with ancient Italian or Tunisian “zellijs” (local pronunciation “zliz”); stuccoes are handmade, some of them finely crafted on three layers of thickness; coffered ceilings are painted, and present patterns and motives, related to Andalousian tradition.
The “Iznik” faiences have been re-assembled in three panels on the walls of the central sitting-room, associated with a wide border of Italian “rocaille’ blue tiles and Tunisian most ancient geometric and floral ones. Yellow ceramic baguettes alternate with black baguettes, according to the original canvas, which has been preserved. The dark blue sofa masks the more degraded pieces which could not be removed due to the use of cement during anterior repair (cement kills both ancient walls and tiles).
The stucco arch of central salon (“kbou”) is supported by half-columns of fine white marble. The panels of stuccoes, hand carved on natural gypsum (“Naqch-Hadida”), were consolidated and slightly restored. Their style, well represented in most Northern Africa mansions and monuments, is nevertheless perfectly faithful to Tunisian specific patterns. The square ceiling (in the “kbou”) and the long one have been refreshed without modifying their original décor; it is also present in the Moroccan palaces.
Interior and exterior marble frames of doors and windows have been sculpted with emblematic patterns (rosettes, crescents and clouds). They are original and have been carefully restored on the spot.
The walls of the bathroom are entirely covered with tawny marbles from the well-known ancient deposit of Chamtou (registered in UNESCO world heritage inventory); the dimensions of this bathroom have allowed us to install a bathtub.
The painted wooden pediments of both lateral alcoves (“Sedda”) have been left miraculously unscathed under several layers of paints and disclose an ultimate echo of the bucolic taste in fashion at Versailles’ Court, which means before French Revolution: garlands of foliage alternate with bouquets and bows. Another traditional element in the mansions of the Medina is the wooden carved and painted shelves (” Marfa’ “) which separate tiles panels from the stucco work: they have been repaired, fixed and slightly repainted.
The furniture is ancient: as the couple of bergères, the precious sculpted wooden desk, the Art ‘Deco pedestal table and an Ottoman engraved copper brazier. All the seats have been reupholstered by excellent artisans of the Medina, with embroidered or embossed silk pieces, also manufactured in the labyrinth of workshops back lanes (“The Wikalas”) surrounding the Palais.
Removal, storage, conservation, sometimes renovation, and refitting of tiles required great attention. The mural compositions were recreated first on computer then on the walls, using every single piece of our residual collections. Depending on the requirements of the original decoration or the walls geometry, we have followed the principle of symmetry or the more oriental system of non-alternating patterns. All the panels are surrounded by a border of different tiles the colors of which match one another.
The paints of doors and shutters have been restituted according to the aesthetics of eighteenth century, with the vegetable pigments of mahogany (red) and curcuma (yellow) and walnut stain (for the black). In line with the taste of the Ottoman “tulip renaissance”, floral art is omnipresent and gold is absent in this refined space. The central long Asian Kilim is spectacular and gives the final touch to this unique place.
Like other apartments of the palace, the “Iznik suite” has a WIFI relay, a fixed line with the reception and a very silent air conditioning system based on water circulation. It is equipped with a smoke detector to the standards of Tunisian civil protection.

“Iznik” is the name of a small town, close to the Marmara Sea, between Bursa and Nicomedia. The most beautiful faiences in History came out of its celebrated furnaces, during sixteenth century and part of the seventeenth.