Bizerta

“New Bizerte begins to take shape after the new port, the largest and safest in all North Africa. It was an innovative design, capable of withstanding the beat of the waves pushed from the Gulf of Lion. A considerable mass is absorbed by the docks.

A piece of the mountain was brought by train to the shore and dumped into the sea. All this material came from the Aïn Meriem quarry.

Artificial blocks were built on the shore. The rail line grew as the work advanced. The cut in the mountain has grown over time and, now, from a distance, it looks like a large white stain. Once the work was completed, the rails were removed and, now, since 1895, a lighthouse is found on the tip. It is made of steel, measures 10 meters high and rests on a cement foundation. Its white light shines 14.5 meters above sea level and can be seen for up to 13 nautical miles.”

Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria, Bizerte, J. Rothschild, Paris, 1900 (Prague, 1897)