| What are the opening times of the National Archives ? |
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The National Archives is open to the public according to the following timetable :
- Monday to Friday : 9.0 a.m to 17.00 p.m
- Saturday : 8.30 a.m to 12h.30 a.m
In Summer and Ramadan, the working times of the National Archives are restricted to the unique work session in compliance with the relevant administrative regulations. |
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| How to access records ? |
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Records consultation could only be carried after the expiry of the fixed periods in conformity with the operating regulations. Tunisian have a free access to these records. Foreigners, however, are required to display a pass delivered by the Director General of The National Archives. Internal regulations grant users the right to obtain a reader’s card on condition that they comply with specified formalities. The reader’s card is valid for the period of one year. For irregular users, they are granted a 15-day temporary access authorization which could be extended for a period of one no more week only once. |
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| Which is the most ancient record preserved in the National Archives ? |
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The most ancient preserved record available at National Archives dates back to ‘Rabial Awal’ 98717 (1582 AD), in The beginning of the Ottoman Period.
This concerns a decree, issued by Pacha Abdulah Muhamed and adressed to notaries in Kairwan, relating to fiscal exonerations.
It is to note, however, that there is no regular documentation about the history of Tunisia prior to 1705. Political instability, indeed, in addition to the different invasions undergone by Tunisia during its medieval and modern history were major causes in this sense. |
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| Are the preserved fonds relating to the history of independent Tunisia, presently available at the National Archives, accessible ? |
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Presently, only the fonds relating to the Husseynite period (1705 – 1881) and to the Colonial Period (1881 – 1956) are communicable in conformity with the operating regulations. As for the records relating to Independant Tunisia, they are still in the collection phase. The first records have already been transferred to the National Archives. Their communication is subject to the transfer rhythm and to the intellectual and material processing operation of the records. |
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| Can a visitor to the National Archives reproduce records ? |
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Records reproduction is one of the several services offered by the National Archives. Tariffs of this fee-paying service are fixed by the Prime Minister’s Order, 2 May 2000 as follows :
- Photocopy of a document format A4 - Tariff 0,100 Dinars
- Photocopy of a document format A3 - Tariff 0,200 Dinars
- Drawing of an architectural plan or other ordinary paper 80 gr/m² - Tariff 3,000 Dinars the m²
- Microfilms sales the view A4 - Tariff 0,500 Dinars
- Drawing of a digital document A4 - Tariff 20 millimes the cm²
Requests for records reproduction are addressed to the reading room’s supervisor. Photocopying fees should be paid in advance. Permission to reproduce documents depends on the general state of the medium of the requested documents. Systematic reproduction of whole files is not allowed, however. Photocopying requests are suspended one hour before the end of the ordinary work session and at lunchtime. |
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| Does the National Archives rely on a computerized system ? |
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The National Archives is working seriously to adopt new technologies. A strategic plan for the computerization of its services has been elaborated. It was joined with a plan for the recruitment of specialists and another for training.
The National Archives relies on two internal reference databases for the processed documents ; « Thakra » for archival fonds and « Kiteb » for the historical library fonds (see databases). |
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| Are there records relating to modern and contemporary history of Tunisia in places other than the National Archives ? |
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Several local and foreign bodies hold important records fonds relating to the modern and contemporary history of Tunisia. The most important ones are :
In Tunisia
- The Higher Institute of the National Movement History, campus universitaire, 2010 la Mannouba, where microfilms fonds of the « Résidence générale » are preserved.
- The Ministry of the State Property and Real Estate Affairs, Department of Documentation and Archives, 19 avenue de Paris – 1000 Tunis : the ancient of the « Djam’iya des Habous » are available here.
- Municipalities, and until now, still undertake the preservation of records relating to the civil register acts (birth, marriage and death certificates) and those concerned with town planning architecture.
- Courts : they hold the notary registers
- The Archbishopric of Tunis : it holds all sorts of records relating ro the civil state of the Catholic population that lived in Tunis during the Protectorate.
- The French Consulate in Tunis : it holds all records relating to the civil register acts (birth, marriage and death) of the French people who lived in Tunisia during the Protectorate Period after 1914.
Abroad
- ‘‘La Direction des Archives du ministère des Affaires étrangères (Department of the Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs)’’ : « le Centre Parisien 37, quai d’Orsey, 75007 Paris » is the place where the civil register acts of the European community prior to 1914 and the diplomatic correspondences of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are preserved. A special reference here is to be made to the « Centre des archives diplomatiques de Nantes, 17 rue du Casterneau, 4400 Nantes au BP 43605, 44036 Nantes Cedex 01, France »
- ‘‘ Centre Historique des Archives nationales de France’’, 60, rue des Francs-Bourgeois, 7514, Paris Cedex 03, France
- ‘‘Centre des Archives d’Outre-Mer’’, 29, rue chemin du Moulin Detesta, 13090, Aix-en-Provence, France.
- The diplomatic archives of several countries, namely England, Italy, Germany, United States of America, Sweden, Morway…., comprise valuable records relating to the modern and contemporary history of Tunisia. |
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| Does the National Archives provide any facilities for the handicapped ? |
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To facilitate access to the National Archives for the handicapped, some special corridors have been designed at the building’s entrance. They have been conceived so as to allow direct access to the central hall, the reception space and the conference room. Handicapped people can use the available elevator to access the reading room in the first flour. They can as well rely on the help of some other persons. In this case, these people are required to display an identity card. Users, on the other hand, are required to comply with the operating regulations. |
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| Is there a space reserved for smokers in the National Archives ? |
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In the National Archives, smoking is prohibited in the public spaces, namely the reading room and finding aids spaces.
Smoking, however, is allowed in a specially-fitted out space. |
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| Are there any records in the National Archives allowing the reconstitution of genealogies ? |
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Records presently available at the National Archives do not allow the direct reconstitution of family genealogies. Municipalities, on their side, hold records relating to civil register acts. It is possible, however, to reconstitute the genealogy of certain families making use of the available administrative and fiscal registers preserved by the National Archives provided that they are chronologically continuous. |
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| Does the National Archives hold notary registers ? |
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At the moment, notary registers are still preserved by the Ministry of Justice. |
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| Does the National Archives hold a cards fonds ? |
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There is no special maps fonds in the National Archives. The available cards are painted in the files where they exist. We find for instance road and topographic maps, hydraulic resources maps or agricultural maps (eg : forested areas) |
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| Does the National Archives hold any audio-visual records ? |
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Audio-visual records are relatively recent. They are not preserved in the National Archives but rather in the producing service, namely « l’Etablissement de la Radio et de la Television tunisienne » |
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| Are the annexe records related to decrees published in the Official Journal accessible to the public ? |
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The National Archives holds a documentary fonds. The most important collection relies on the different series of the Official Journal of the Tunisian Republic first published in 1860 in Arabic and then in 1883 in French, and until now.
Annex documents figure among some texts published in the Official Journal. They are communicable only to persons concerned with the questions raised in these texts. They are communicable on request. |
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| Which are the preserved records available at the National Archives that relate to the Algerians, the Moroccans and the « Tripolitains » ? |
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Records relating to Algerians, « tripolitains" and maroccans who lived in Tunisia are assentially located in the Historical Serie (Ottoman Period) and Series « A » ( Pretectorate Pediod) |
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| How to apply for a record comprising information about Tunisia ? |
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The official web site of the National Archives involves a part entiled « Outstanding Records » which presents a whole range of records relating to the most important historical events of the country.
For more recent periods and the present day, « l’Agence tunisienne de Communication exterieure (ATCE), 3, rue Jean Jaurès, 1001 Tunis », Should be contacted.
Web site (French) www.infotunisie.com
Web site (Arabic) www.akhbar.tn
It may prove useful also to contact « l’Office national du Tourisme tunisien (ONTT) 1, rueMohamed V, 1001 Tunis
(www.tourismtunisia.com) |
