In 1939, a military correspondent of The Times once wrote "What a hell of a place to put a Holy City", referring to the mercilessly hot and dry desert conditions in Kairouan. Water supply was naturally a major concern and the Great Mosque of Kairouan had clever features incorporated into its design. One such feature was the marble courtyard which functioned as a catchment area where rainwater was channelled from the floor to cisterns below. Well holes were put in the marble floors so they could access the water below. After centuries of drawing water, the ropes have made deep grooves into its marble rims.