Tataouine, in the past called Foum Tataouine, is a city of the south of Tunisia located at 531 kilometers of Tunis.
Chief town of the governorship of the same name, it constitutes a municipality of 59.346 inhabitants. Founded under French protectorate to ensure the pacification of the south of the country, it is called the door of the desert. Its name means source of water into Berber. Hinged plate of tourism in the south of the country, this animated city constitutes an important stage in the visit of the great Tunisian South (deserted, strengthened ksour and other villages). In spite of dynamic Saharan tourism, the city preserves its identity and its traditional architecture.
Famous for old the bagne military of the French Army that it sheltered, the city is also known throughout the whole world by its name which inspires the realizer of cinema George Lucas (which turns some scenes of film there the Star Wars) in the choice of the name of planet of sands: Tatooine. But the city is especially famous for the multitude of the ksour which go back in XVe or XVIe century and whose most famous residence Ksar Ouled Soltane. The Berber villages located at the tops of the surrounding hills, such as Chenini, Douiret and Ghomrassen also take part in the charm of the area of Tataouine. Its weekly souk of Monday is one of most picturesque of Tunisia. The town of Tataouine annually organizes the festival of the ksour in March.