TripoliCapital
Libya · Country profile
Tripoli is the ancient Mediterranean capital of Libya, the white city of the southern shore that spreads its Ottoman medina, its Italian-era colonnades, its wide sea-facing boulevards and its busy souks along the fishing harbour of the north-west coast, at the edge of the great plain. Founded by the Phoenicians more than two and a half millennia ago, ruled in turn by the Romans, the Arabs, the Spaniards, the Ottomans and the Italians, and the capital of the independent kingdom and the republic, it remains the largest city and the political seat of the country, its layered quarters carrying the riches of that long story. The medina with its archways and its caravanserais, the great castle with its national museum, the Ottoman mosques and the Italian towers, and the markets of the town anchor the essential visits, while the Roman ruins of the region and the coast of the country spread beyond the capital. White, storied and enduring, Tripoli is the proud old heart of the Libyan coast.
About Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital of Libya. The city's documented population is around 1,200,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Libyan Dinar (LYD) and Arabic is spoken; the dialling code is +218.
The Castle of the Red and the Museum of the Nation
The capital is a layered Mediterranean city where the essential days move between the medina and the castle, the colonial avenues and the waterfront, with the markets and the cafes of the old town carrying the everyday life. The great castle with its archaeology and its national museum, the Ottoman quarter with its mosques, its bathhouses and its covered souks, and the Italian-era towers and the marble boulevards of the centre anchor the classic visits, while the historic gate and the fishing harbour of the town frame the maritime face. The Roman cities of the region, the beaches and the palms of the coast fill the wider days, and the whole city runs its fierce, proud, resilient northern rhythm.
The Medina of the Souks and the Arch of the Triumph
The climate of the capital is the mild Mediterranean of the northern coast, with the hot, dry summers, the mild, rainy winters and the long pleasant springs, while the security environment of the country asks every traveller for the strictest professional risk assessment and caution. The dinar of the country is the currency, the Arabic the language and some English and Italian known in the business world. The medina, the castle and the centre make the core visits, and the great sites of the region need organised, informed movement. Modest dress, cash and the full awareness of the unstable situation are the absolute essentials of any approach to the country.
The Corniche of the Sea and the Cities of the Romans
The great castle of the town, the enormous fortified citadel above the medina that grew from the Roman and the Ottoman defences and now houses the national museum of the country with its treasures of the Phoenician, the Roman and the Islamic eras, is the supreme monument of the capital. The medina of the town, the listed old quarter with its vaulted souks, its caravanserais, its Ottoman mosques and its bathhouses, and the famous arch of the triumph that stands in the middle of the modern streets, preserve the layers of the sea city, while the Italian-era palace and the marble cathedral of the centre keep the colonial century alive. The old port with its red-and-white lighthouse, the markets of the gold and the spices, and the Roman cities of the region, with their theatres and their baths emerging from the sand, complete the picture of the ancient capital. Storied, resilient and fiercely proud, Tripoli waits on the southern shore.
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- Country
- Libya
- Population
- 1,200,000
- Capital
- Tripoli
- Region
- Africa
- Currency
- Libyan Dinar (LYD)
- Languages
- Arabic
- Calling code
- +218
- Country code
- LY
Frequently asked questions
Is Tripoli the capital of Libya?
Yes — Tripoli is the capital of Libya.
What currency do I need in Tripoli?
The local currency is the Libyan Dinar (LYD). Languages spoken in Libya include Arabic.
What is the dialling code for Libya?
The international dialling code for Libya is +218.
Flying out of Tripoli? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.