El Jem Tunisia excursion reviews. El - Jam. About the history of El Jem

After the first visit to the center of Mahdia, the friendly, polite and hospitable attitude of the local residents, the idea of ​​an independent trip to El Jem, which is located only 40 km away, was born. Getting to the famous Tunisian Amphitheater (or the local Colosseum, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List) and the Archaeological Museum (or the local mosaic museum and Villa Africa) turned out to be as easy as shelling pears and incredibly inexpensive on a local minibus (luage). The louages ​​station is located next to the Ezzahra metro station (you need to walk 300 meters along the road along the railway tracks towards the center, there will be a station on the left, you can ask the locals for “Station de louages”, they will politely show you, and even guide you through). You don’t need to buy a ticket, you give the money (3 dinars) to the driver, the ride takes 30 minutes. Along the way you see endless expanses of olive plantations. In general, I have never seen so many olive trees anywhere, no matter what direction you drive in Tunisia - there is an endless ocean of olives everywhere. In El Jem, the Luage station is located even more conveniently, exactly in the middle between the Colosseum and the museum, next to the El Jem Mosque (7 minutes in any direction). The mosque is located at the intersection of two streets: Hedi Chaker Avenue, along which the minibus travels from Mahdia (after passing the mosque straight along this avenue for about 50 meters - on the right is the final stop of the lawns), and the street of the Great Mosque. If you turn right along the last one, you will come out to the amphitheater, if you turn left, you will come to the mosaic museum. It is impossible to get lost, the only thing is that the station is located in the depths of the courtyard, and I almost passed by):... To begin the exploration of ancient Thisdrus, it is on the site of this ancient city that modern El-Jem stands, I decided, after all, from the amphitheater, repeatedly seen in photographs on the World Wide Web. After walking along a slightly curved street with small nondescript houses for about 5-7 minutes, I found myself in front of a majestic building of the Roman era. The El-Jema Amphitheater is surprisingly well preserved, despite all the vicissitudes of its historical fate. This grandiose structure, erected at the beginning of the 3rd century AD, was not completed due to the outbreak of the Gordian uprising, and later was repeatedly used as a shelter by the rebel Berbers (therefore subjected to shelling), in addition, the stone blocks of the amphitheater were used for the construction of houses over the centuries and mosques of the city, which was also more than once erased from the face of the earth during conquests. There is a legend that the famous leader of the united Berber and Jewish tribes, Dahiya el-Kahina, who led the liberation movement against the first Arab conquests on the African continent, spent her last days in the famous amphitheater, and her untold wealth is hidden in underground caves. Be that as it may, the amphitheater delights and evokes sad thoughts about the transience of life, the change of eras, rulers and peoples... and, probably, man’s constant desire to touch the eternal... The entrance ticket costs 10.0 dinars (the ticket gives the right to visit the amphitheater itself and the Mosaic Museum, both there and there the ticket is composted at the entrance). With pleasure I climbed to the very top, wandered through the galleries, looked out of the window... The opening views, touching the ancient walls, remembering the hands of many, many generations, stop time, scenes from historical films and read books begin to float before your eyes... And only in the stands do you return at present... it’s very hot... despite the morning (at most 9 o’clock), the sun is baking mercilessly... The impressions remained vivid, but I still couldn’t get rid of the feeling of the heavy energy of the place, probably numerous human suffering in the arena of this amphitheater, groans and torments in the dungeons of slaves and gladiators did not pass without a trace, or maybe these were the pleas of the defenders of Africa from foreign conquerors, not heard by God... who knows... And I, trying to shake off the surging conflicting feelings, went on... to walk along the dusty and hot streets of El-Jem , along which I eventually reached the Mosaic Museum and the Villa Africa located in the back of it. When I went to El Jem, I dreamed of seeing, of course, the Tunisian Colosseum, and I received an indelible impression and enormous pleasure from... visiting the museum and the restored Roman villa. It is not clear why there is very little information on the Internet about this wonderful museum. The museum is small in size and can probably be compared with a large number of provincial museums in any country, including Russia, but it has its own unforgettable and unique charm. Silence and tranquility envelop you, and with genuine interest you plunge into the era of ancient gods and heroes, legends and traditions... The museum contains wonderful, perfectly preserved mosaics from private villas in the ancient Roman quarters of the ancient city, individual fragments are preserved where they were found (for example, on the floors of former premises or the border of a fountain or pond). Mosaics from the beginning of the first millennium are shocking to the core (hunting scenes, scenes from legends, mosaics-amulets); it is no coincidence that in ancient times they were highly valued and served as an external manifestation of wealth and well-being! I stood for a long time in front of the image of an owl (a mosaic-amulet from the evil eye), the panel “The Rape of Europa”... I am also amazed and admired by the painstaking work of archaeologists and restorers who managed to find, preserve (disassemble and reassemble such huge canvases from the smallest particles) and convey to us former greatness... Huge respect to these people! Later I visited the delightful pearl of Tunisia - the Bardo Museum, which displays exhibits from various eras from all over Tunisia (Phoenician, Greek, Byzantine, Ottoman), original masterpieces of Roman mosaics and sculpture, the first Christian icons, and incredibly beautiful jewelry. Nothing in this museum can be ignored; the ceilings, the finest work of Tunisian craftsmen, fascinate with their inimitable beauty and delicacy. However, the museum in El Jem won my heart... I spent more than one hour walking around the museum premises, the courtyards of the villa, looking at statues, mosaic fragments and enjoying the ancient peace... For some reason I remembered D.S. Merezhkovsky with his Julian the Apostate, perhaps the heroes lived and dreamed in similar villas... “Julian entered the atrium garden. There was a fountain in the open air. Nearby, among the daffodils, acanthuses, tulips and myrtle stood a small bronze statue of Hermes, winged, laughing, like everyone else in the house, ready to flutter and fly away. Bees and butterflies hovered in the sun above the flower garden.” And looking from the steps of the villa at the opening view of the remains of former buildings, I, like Arsinoe once, pointing to Julian to the hill of the Acropolis, whispered “look how good it is”... Truly silence descended into the soul... Villa Africa is the only ancient residence in the world that has been restored and restored with 95% accuracy. Archaeologists managed to reconstruct the building, restore the ancient mosaic, as well as partially the image of the goddess of Africa. Her image on stone was first found in a villa that once belonged to a wealthy citizen of the Roman Empire. The villa was named after this goddess of fertility, who was worshiped throughout Roman Africa. I didn’t want to leave, but I had to go... I was very glad that I didn’t take the excursion, because... I walked as much as I wanted, without rushing anywhere. Impressed by what she saw, she reached the Luazhei station (I sat in the minibus for a bit, I had to wait 10-15 minutes until it filled up) and returned to Mahdia the same way, asked the driver to stop at the Ezzahra station, so as not to walk from the Luazhei station, and changed to metro and after about 1 hour 10 minutes (in total, waiting for the filling of the luage in El Jem and the metro train) I was at the hotel.

/ El Jem Amphitheater

El Jem Amphitheater

(Arabic: مسرح الجم; French: Amphitéâtre d "El Jem; English: Amphitheater of El Jem)

UNESCO site

Opening hours: daily, from 7:30 to 19:00 in summer, and from 8:00 to 17:30 in winter.

How to get there: The El Jem Amphitheater is located in the small town of El Jem, located along the Sousse – Sfax railway line. From Soussa It is possible to get here by train Sousse - El Jem, trains run several times a day.

Also, it is quite convenient and easy to get there by luazhes - local minibuses that run in almost all cities of Tunisia. You can get to El Jem by road from almost any resort town in Tunisia: from Mahdia (half an hour on the road), from Sousse, from Monastir (about an hour on the road). It will be more difficult to get from Hammamet; you will have to change trains in Sousse, because there is no direct minibus Hammamet - El-Jem. El Jem Luage Station is a 5-minute walk from El Jem Amphitheatre. The amphitheater stands in plain sight, completely open to view, it can be seen from anywhere in the town of El Jem.

The El Jem Amphitheater is the best preserved (!) in the world and the second largest (!!!) (after the Colosseum) amphitheater in the entire Roman Empire. This amphitheater could accommodate about 30 thousand spectators - more than the entire population of his city, including old people and infants. Around the amphitheater, the trading city of Tizdr once bustled with life, thriving thanks to the production and sale of olive oil.

The construction of the amphitheater was started in the period 232 - 238 AD by the proconsul of the province of Africa, Marcus Aurelius Gordian. He declared himself an independent emperor, although his independence lasted only 36 days, and the construction of the amphitheater was temporarily stopped due to an uprising that was suppressed by the Roman army.

For several years they dug out giant blocks in the quarries, trimmed them, transported them to the construction site, carefully laid them, and then covered the entire surface with marble. The walls of the amphitheater were lined with mosaics depicting galloping horsemen, hunters and the animals they were pursuing. The amphitheater was built exclusively for chariot races and gladiator fights.

The El Jem Amphitheater is oval in shape with three floors above ground. The amphitheater is very large - it reaches a length of 149 meters, and the length of the amphitheater arena is 65 meters and the width is 39 meters. The rows of seating steps rise to 36 meters. Above the eastern entrance stood the imperial box, from which the gladiators' rooms could be seen below the arena.

To fully appreciate the scale of the building, you need to climb to the very top and sit on the last row of stone seats. Even the slightest rustle from the stage reaches here, just as the stage “collects” every single sound from the stands. The acoustics here are perfect.

Under the El-Jema arena there is an entire underground city - a machine for providing spectators with blood and spectacle: cages for wild animals, closets for gladiators, chambers for quickly removing corpses from the stage. All these rooms can be viewed and are open to visitors.

There is a legend that the African warrior El Cahena spent her last days in the El Jema Amphitheater. She is also called the Berber princess, as she led the Berber resistance against the Aglobid dynasty. Local residents believe that the Berber princess's countless treasures are hidden somewhere in the underground tunnels.

Century after century, cruel performances took place in the amphitheater arena. Now part of the arena is modern, adapted specifically for classical music concerts, which are held here regularly.

Archaeologists believe that next to the amphitheater there are also buildings dating back to the Roman era, but for now they are all covered with a thick layer of sand. It is quite possible that very soon new, even more impressive discoveries await us all.

The best time to visit the El Jem Amphitheater is in the afternoon, when the sun illuminates every stone of this unique place at sunset. The spectacle is truly mesmerizing - the scale of this archaeological masterpiece in the red rays of the sun: probably, it is at such moments that the thought comes to mind how long humanity has been living in this world...

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Tours to Tunisia – special offers of the day

It's been three years since our trip to North Africa, but the memories are still strong, as if the trip happened yesterday. Of all my travels, it was from Tunisia that I received the most vivid impressions. And the most powerful of them, of course, were the impressions not even from a jeep safari in the Sahara, but rather from a giant amphitheater of the Ancient Roman era (III century AD) in the tiny town of El Jem ( El Jem). Its size is only slightly inferior to the Roman Colosseum and the amphitheater in the Italian city of Capua (Italian). Capua). But in terms of its preservation, it confidently ranks first in the world!

It is difficult to describe those feelings when you look not at some excavations, but through centuries, with your own feet, enter a fully preserved gladiator arena, remembering thousands of human destinies. Here Roman chariots rushed at enormous speeds, and swords crossed, knocking out sparks... Every battle in this arena was at the limit of human capabilities, because the price was someone's life...

Your hand slowly touches the ancient stones of the walls of the amphitheater, the atmospheric soundtrack of Hans Zimmer from the famous film “Gladiator” by Ridley Scott is playing in your headphones and, at the same moment, the modern world around you ceases to exist. The few tourists seem to disappear into thin air, and their place in the stands of the amphitheater is taken by the Roman nobility in light, festive snow-white robes. Women are trying to hide from the hot African sun in the shadow of columns, the hum of voices hangs in the air... Periodically, the tension in the air is broken by the sounds of horns - corn, everyone is waiting for the start of the bloody performance...

Images and feelings are mixed into a single whole, making you completely transported to that distant era. At this moment there is only you and the surrounding space of the majestic El Jem amphitheater!

Modern El-Jem stands on the site of an ancient Phoenician settlement, the age of which, in contrast to the capital of the Phoenician kingdom, is Carthage(founded in 814 BC), even scientists find it difficult to name. After a series of Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage, the latter was destroyed in 146 BC. and turned into a colony. Moving south, the Roman Empire, presumably in 46 BC. Founds the city of Tizdr (lat. Thysdrus), the future El-Jem.

The economic dawn of the settlement falls on the 2nd – beginning. III century, when olive plantations grew around the city, thanks to the favorable climate. Olive oil, in those days, was worth its weight in gold in Rome. In addition, the city was located at the crossroads of trade routes from Central Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. All this led to the fact that Tizdr quickly became one of the most important cities in North Africa, second in importance after Carthage, and its population reached 30 thousand people.

As in any prosperous city, the wealthy demanded spectacles in which to invest their money. So, in 230 AD, by order of the proconsul Mark Antony Gordiana(lat. Marcus Antonius Gordianus), the future emperor, construction of the amphitheater began, which, after 8 years, was stopped.

08. Start of construction.

10. Plan of the amphitheater.

To understand why the amphitheater was never completed, I suggest taking a look at what was happening in those years in the Roman Empire.

11. Presumably, this is what he was supposed to become.

And there everything was extremely sad... In 235 AD. Internecine wars for the imperial throne begin. Conspirators kill the Emperor Alexandra Severa along with his mother, after which the Empire begins to burst at the seams. The legions proclaim "their man" emperor - Gaia Julia Maximina Thracian, who became the first emperor to emerge from ordinary soldiers.

A couple of years later, the newly-minted emperor acquired an enemy in the person of proconsul Gordian, who was nominated to the imperial throne by legions loyal to him. Gordian agreed to this adventure on the condition that his son would be co-ruler Gordian II, for which he received the go-ahead from the Senate of Rome.

In the outbreak of the war, in the battle with the legions of Maximin, Gordian the Younger dies near Carthage. Having learned about this, Gordian I commits suicide by hanging himself with his belt... The Roman Senate appoints its own man, a senator, as the new emperor Mark of Clodius Pupien, who continued the war against Maximin.

The deposed Maximin the Thracian himself did not live much longer. Having advanced with an army to Italy, he dies along with his son in the battle near the city of Aquileia, a couple of months after the suicide of Gordian I.

The life of Mark Pupien also ended sadly, who did not deserve the trust of the people and, during the next uprising, was killed by the Praetorians in his own palace. The Roman throne passes Mark Antony Gordian III, grandson of Gordian I.

I will not continue the story about the fate of future emperors, I will only say that the 3rd century for Rome became a real nightmare. Over a 50-year period, more than 26 people become contenders for the imperial bed and almost all of them die a violent death.

But, let’s return to our “Tunisian Colosseum” and the reign of Gordian I.

The three-story amphitheater, measuring 138 meters long and 114 meters wide, turned out to be a real majestic beauty. Tall arched galleries with many passages surrounded the sandy arena, 65 meters long and 39 meters wide, and the walls were decorated with multi-colored mosaics depicting galloping horsemen, hunters and the animals they pursued. An imperial box was built above the eastern entrance.

As in most other amphitheatres, gladiator fights served as the main spectacle here. In addition, the large size of the arena made it possible to organize battles using war chariots.

The Tizdrus amphitheater also had its own peculiarity. Unlike Italy, in the African "Colosseum" fights with wild predatory animals were common. Both gladiators fought with them, and exclusively animal fights were organized between different types of predators. The wild animals that were released into the arena were dedicated to the gods: the lion and bull - to Saturn and Juno, the panther - to Dionysus, the bear - to Diana.

As an additional bloody entertainment, unarmed slaves were often released into the arena, who were literally torn to pieces by hungry animals...

Gladiators, wild animals, and slaves were kept in special cells and cages. For these purposes, an entire underground city was built under the amphitheater arena. Separate rooms were intended for dying gladiators, as well as for storing corpses.

Today this underground city, almost completely preserved and has no analogues in the world, is accessible to visitors. In the cells and passages, once filled with the groans of the dying and cries of war, there is deathly silence.

23. Gladiator's Chamber.

A special feeling arises when you walk through the “corridor of death” along which gladiators entered the arena. Of all the lighting here before, there were only a few torches, as well as a bright white light at the end of the long corridor where the exit to the arena was located. Maybe this is where the expression “light at the end of the tunnel” comes from, meaning the border between life and death?

After the death of Gordian I, in 238 AD, Thysdrus, severely destroyed by opposition troops, was never able to recover. However, the amphitheater itself survived and stood untouched until the 7th century.

In 699, Tizdr became the center of the rebellion of the queen of the united Berber state, Dahiyaal-Kahinu bint-Tabithu ( Al-Kahins) against the Arab conquest. After the defeat of the uprising, the settlement was abandoned by its inhabitants.

City with a modern name El Jem(translated from Arabic as “crossroads”) appeared here only at the beginning of the 17th century. It was during this period that the destruction of the amphitheater began. The stones of its walls are used as free building material for the construction of city houses, as well as for construction Great Mosque in Kairouan. Thus, the northern wall of the amphitheater was practically destroyed. The amphitheater, which was used as a fortress, was finally destroyed in 1850 as a result of cannon fire by the Ottoman Empire.

Today, like many centuries ago, El Jem is crowded, but mainly because of the numerous tourists. Trade in souvenirs, clothing and other goods is brisk here. There is even a small market equipped for these purposes. At the same time, compared to Rome, the percentage of tourists here is simply tiny, which allows you to enjoy all the beauty of the amphitheater in full, as well as take beautiful deserted shots.

It would not be amiss to add that the price at the Tunisian Coliseum is only 10 TND (300 rubles), plus 1 TND for a filming permit. This is against 12 € at the Roman Colosseum. For 10 dinars you can walk unlimitedly throughout the entire space of the amphitheater, visit the underground galleries and upper tiers, which offer panoramic views of modern El Jem.

Surprisingly, the general appearance of the amphitheater is not spoiled at all by the modern music scene. The fact is that in August, thanks to the stunning acoustics, the annual International Open-Air Classical Music Festival is held here.

33. Musical stage in the amphitheater arena.

One way or another, the El Jema Amphitheater leaves an indelible mark in the memory of any person, even if he is not particularly interested in Ancient Rome. And for history buffs, there is even a small Archaeological Museum (a kilometer from the amphitheater), where you can see fragments of preserved mosaics from the walls.

To conclude my story, I want to dispel one modern legend associated with El-Jem. The fact is that almost all tourist catalogs say that the amphitheater is also famous for the fact that certain scenes of the famous film were filmed within its walls" Gladiator"directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe. It is clear that this is being done to lure tourists and increase tourist flow.

In reality, Gladiator was never filmed in El Jem. Firstly, the film company simply would not be allowed to film a feature film in such a historical place. Secondly, Ridley Scott himself said that the size of the Roman Colosseum was too small for his ideas, so what can we say about El-Jem?

Filming of "Gladiator" took place in England, Morocco and Malta, where a model of a huge amphitheater was built, as well as all sorts of additional "street" scenery. Everything else, such as the upper tiers, was completed using computer graphics. Malta has long been a mecca for such cinema. The no less famous movie “Troy” was also filmed here, as well as the TV series “Game of Thrones”.

Since 1979, exposed to all the African winds, the remains of the ancient Roman amphitheater have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The El-Jema Amphitheater was designed for 30,000 spectators, and since this turned out to be not enough, a little further they began to build a second, smaller theater. Both buildings were never completed, because in 238 a rebellion arose in Thisdra: large landowners rebelled against new taxes from Rome. The imperial authorities reacted harshly, and a significant part of the city was destroyed. But the amphitheater, completely untouched, served every now and then as a refuge for rebels and was damaged only in the 17th century, when Sultan Mohammed Bey ordered his troops to make a hole in the walls with cannonballs in order to destroy the rebels holed up there.

Although the amphitheater's arena lies several meters below the current level of the streets of El Jem, its walls rise above all other houses in the city and are already visible from afar on a plain planted with olive trees. Inside it, you can walk through the underground passages where slaves and gladiators awaited their “exit,” or climb the theater rows and imagine how people and wild animals fought for their lives here for the amusement of the audience. At these performances, here, as in Rome, many Christians were killed.

The Colosseum in El Jem (Tunisia) is called the “golden crown of Africa”. This monument, erected from a distance, really resembles the headdress of a royal person. On the territory of modern El-Jem there was then the city of Tisdrus, the cultural center of ancient Africa. The construction of the majestic monument was never completed.

What is an ancient amphitheater?

Is there a Colosseum in Tunisia? Everyone knows the answer to this question. But few know what happened in the amphitheater 18 centuries ago. Let's imagine an ancient African city with its inhabitants, eager for amusements that would terrify even the most cold-blooded modern person.

When the gusty wind over the steppe intensified in the early evening, his conquest was mingled with the hissing of wild animals, death cries and the roar of a crowd of thousands. The echo echoed far around the area. The Colosseum in Tunisia, which today is visited by sedate tourists, once shuddered with games. More than thirty thousand people are accommodated in the tiers of the amphitheater, where gladiators met in mortal combat, horses, panthers, lions clashed...

The huge arena is one of the largest created during the era of the Roman Empire and is almost equal in size to the Roman Colosseum. Its length is 65 meters. Width - 39 meters. On a ghostly plain, blown by endless winds, this monument rises like a powerful and formidable fortress.

Construction

Where is the Colosseum in Tunisia? The cultural monument is located in El Jem. It is worth talking about a city that was once a prosperous colony of Rome. Namely about Thysdrus. The population worshiped the goddesses of Africa and the god of wine, Dionysus, who, while still a small child, bravely rode a tiger. With the same courage, local residents began building their Colosseum at the beginning of the second century AD.

This is the time of the highest flowering of their self-awareness, influence, wealth, power. The amphitheater is the embodiment of impeccable harmony. Everything is clearly thought out. An unimaginable, breathtaking combination of monumentality and upward aspiration.

The Rise of Thisdrus

What is the Colosseum in Tunisia? Why was it built? This amphitheater is a monument created by the inhabitants of the city of Thysdrus to themselves. What kind of ambition did you have to have to transform a small steppe village into a luxurious oasis?

Back in 50 BC, local Berbers demonstrated to Caesar both obstinacy and hard work, and the ability to trade. At that time the city lived mainly by agriculture. They managed to collect three hundred thousand fours of wheat - an incredible amount for the ancient world - from their fields. This is what became the basis of their later prosperity, thanks to which they were able to build their Colosseum. In the Tunisian city of El Jem today it is the main attraction.

Cruel Games

Masses of people flocked from all over the region to the performance, which captivated and stunned the audience with incredible, cruel, and often deadly fights. In the vast catacombs there was an ominous, terrifying smell, endless labyrinths and cages for animals and people. Terrible sounds made by hunters and their victims were heard here.

Panthers, tigers, lions and criminals on death row were all waiting to enter the arena. A simple but merciless principle reigned here - the survival of the fittest. The building accommodated much more spectators than the city’s inhabitants. The Colosseum in Tunisia is the last great amphitheater built in the Roman Empire and one one of the best examples of this type of buildings.

Gladiator - a prestigious profession in Antiquity

Fanfares announced the start of the games. Participants walked along the noisy stands. Then a bright theatrical performance began, in which the veneration of the Roman gods played a significant role. The gladiators marched to the cheers of the crowd. For huge sums of money, they were willing to risk their lives in a fight with wild animals.

Such spectacles were quite consistent with the lifestyle of a prosperous state. Here such qualities as success, strength, and willingness to take risks were highly valued. Heroes were respected and extolled. The Colosseum was an excellent place for gladiators to test their strength.

Appearance

The ancient architects did their best. They managed to create an amphitheater in which the arena was perfectly illuminated by the sun's rays entering through numerous openings. The mosaic was made in a unique style. The architectural appearance of the building combines the traditions of Arab and Roman architecture.

The funds needed to create the monument came from the olive trade. Over the two hundred years that have passed since the time of Caesar, the city has been transformed into a picturesque grove. The meager steppe region, depleted over centuries, became a major supplier of olive oil. Money and ambition reigned in the modest colony, and the amphitheater became the place for their demonstration.

No convincing historical source can explain why such a prosperous city arose here in this area. After all, construction required enormous effort. The monument is built of sandstone, which was transported here from afar. There are no fancy ornaments on the walls, which is explained by the peculiarities of the material on which the design will not stick. But much more important the shade of the stone gives the amphitheater an amazing glow during the day.

Fall of Thisdrus

Construction lasted eight years. The city resisted the rise of taxes in the Roman Empire, elected and crowned its own emperor. But he soon suffered a crushing defeat. The Colosseum in Tunisia was never completed. Thisdrus himself sank into oblivion. Centuries have passed. The conquerors destroyed part of the amphitheater. The catacombs often served as a refuge for rebels.

Colosseum in Tunisia: reviews

Having become familiar with the history of this monument, a person planning a trip to Tunisia expects to see the ruins. After all, the construction of the Colosseum was not completed, and a lot of time has passed since the ancient city fell. However, according to reviews, the amphitheater is a completely harmonious building. The building, which has rounded shapes and arched windows, looks very festive against the background of the blue sky.

The monument is striking in its scale. It arouses interest even among tourists who do not consider themselves lovers of Antiquity. And for people with a developed imagination, when visiting the Colosseum, pictures of brutal gladiatorial battles appear before their eyes. The numerous rows cannot fail to attract attention. As already mentioned, the theater seated about thirty thousand people. And all these people were overwhelmed by a thirst for bloody spectacles.

A visit to the Colosseum is included in almost every excursion program. The guides tell amazing stories not only about the construction of the amphitheater, but also provide some interesting facts. Thus, many of them claim that the famous film "Gladiator" was filmed here.