Tripoli (Tarablus or Tarabulus), the capital of Libya which once was was known as Oea or the bride of the Mediterranean, is  one of the most exotic and alluring cities of the Mediterranean world. The vibrant atmosphere is rich in fascinating signposts of its long history and cultures, from Roman sites and the Old Medina, to the modern developments of booming Libya. Tripoli is an interesting city to see, where local Libyan traditions are mixed with Islamic, Byzantine and Turkish cultures to create a unique place, fast becoming a cosmopolitan city, especially after the economic expansion and development she enjoyed after the great revolution of the First of September.

Tripoli was made known by the Phoenicians as a commercial city during the 1st millennium BC.  The name Tripoli comes from Tri-Polis, which means 'three cities: the famous three cities that made up the region of Tripolitania in ancient times: Sabratha, Leptis Magna, and Oea.

The places to visit in Tripoli are the National Museum (Math'af al-Jamahiriya), which houses a rich collection of artifacts from various periods of Libyan history, the ancient castle or the Red Fort (as-Saraya al-Hamra) at the Green Square, the Old City, the Arch of Marcus Aurelius, the Gurgi mosque, and the Karamanli house. The old walled Medina (or the Old City) is a network of narrow, roofed-streets, arches and covered souks, full of traditional and modern shops, selling almost everything available elsewhere. The markets can be crowded and dark in some places.

Places To Visit:

• The Green Square
• Tripoli's shores
• Italian façades
• The Red Castle
• Roman Arch of Marcus Aurelius
• Janzour Beach & the Tourist Village
• Hassle-free traditional souqs (markets)
• Gurgi (/Gourjee/) Mosque & the House of Yusuf Karamanli
• Explore Libyan's history at the Jamahiriya Museum
• The Old Medina and its narrow lanes and its labyrinth of meandering markets and traditional buildings

The Red Castle (as-Saraya al-H'amra), Tripoli.

Brief History of Tripoli:

Soon after the total destruction of Carthage by the Romans in 146 BC, Tripoli fell under the influence of Masinissa's Kingdom Numidia, and then under Rome's control as a Roman protectorate, providing the Romans with wild beasts, grain, grapes and slaves. The city was badly devastated by the Vandals in the 5th century, and was almost paralysed during the Byzantine period where it remained so until the arrival of Islam in the 7th century AD. Tripoli then became Tarabulus and gradually recovered and became, once more, an important commercial centre, linking the Sahara and the rest of Africa, Europe, Egypt and the Middle East. By the the 15th century Tripoli became an international trading post and declared its independence in 1460, albeit for a short while; as the city once again was attacked by the Spaniards, the Turks and the Knights of St John of Malta in the 16th century. During the Ottoman period Tripoli was renamed Tarablus al-Gharb (West Tripoli) to distinguish it from Lebanon's Tripoli in the East. After the Italian invasions of 1911 Tripoli began to grow in size beyond the confines of the Old Medina, and after the Second War (WWII), many families left the Old Medina to live in the new and recently vacated Italian villas and houses, and by 1950s the population of Tripoli has grown to 100,000 and then to one million by 1980s.