El Jem – Kairouan: The Greatness of Tunisia’s Civilizations

An excursion to El Jem and Kairouan will introduce you to two of the main monuments of the greatest civilizations of Tunisia, which share five centuries. Ancient Rome, with its abundant feasts, vast pantheon of gods and a cult of luxurious life, and an Islamic civilization based on humility, austerity and tireless worship of the one God. The first endowed Tunisia with a magnificent colosseum - the second erected to the glory of the Creator a majestic mosque, revered as the fourth most important in the Islamic world.

The grandeur of the pro-consular province of Africa (as Tunisia was called under the rule of the Roman Empire) will appear before you in the grandiose colosseum in El Jem. This is the third largest ancient Roman amphitheater in the world, second in size only to its “brothers” in Rome and Capua – it accommodated up to 30 thousand spectators! And, according to archaeologists, the best in safety. During the tour, we will stand in the arena and imagine what the gladiators felt under the roar of the thirsty crowd of thirty thousand people, go down to the underground rooms where warriors were trained and wild animals were kept in anticipation of battle, and climb the Imperial Lodge and the uppermost tiers of the Colosseum, from where there is a magnificent view of the olive plantations stretching to the horizon.

The tour continues at the El Jem Archaeological Museum. It is located on the ruins of a prestigious quarter of the III century and contains a wonderful collection of ancient Roman mosaics. The change of seasons, the underwater world, mythological plots and the daily life of a rich estate - all are reflected in the art of ancient mosaic masters. You will learn what the character of Roman mythology, Elder Silen, is famous for, and why he was so often depicted on Tunisian mosaics, get acquainted with the regal Owl, which, according to the inscription on the mosaic, “does not blow in the mustache!” and try to find a way out of the mosaic with a labyrinth. And then we will visit the ancient Roman villa “Africa” restored by archaeologists, where we will imagine the scale and luxury of the dwelling of the rich inhabitant of El Jem of the III century, strolling through the cool rooms and admiring the floor mosaics.

Tunisian civilizations followed each other in a motley kaleidoscope of events and names. And we follow further in the time spiral - welcome to the fourth most important city in the Islamic world after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem - the beacon of faith, Kairouan. Kairouan Grand Mosque is our first stop. You will learn the mysterious history of the foundation of the city, visit the spacious courtyard of the mosque, see the ancient sundial and admire the marble pattern of an underground water collection tank. Without disturbing the faithful, we will look into the prayer hall to admire its 414 columns, none of which repeats the other, the carved pulpit of the IX century Imam – a gift of Baghdad and wooden doors of the XIX century, a gift of Ottoman rulers. Perhaps we will be lucky to hear the melodic call to prayer from the minaret of the mosque.

Medina Kairouana is one of the most traditional, neat and cozy medina cities in Tunisia. Life here seems to flow in exactly the same way as in the first centuries of the founding of Kairouan. Following its narrow streets, we will admire the old carved doors of different colors, look into the workshops of weavers and pastry shops, where they bake the sweet business card of the city - honey and date cookies "macroud". The bright facade is a colorful Three Door Mosque (IX century), and a little further away is the sacred spring of Bir-Barut, whose water raises to the top, in a popular cafe, walking around a camel. You can get acquainted with interesting rituals of worshiping Muslim saints in the mausoleum of Sidi Sahbi, the barber of the Prophet Muhammad, and appreciate the greatness of the engineering structures of the first centuries of Islam - in the large-scale Aghlabid basins, erected in the IX century to supply the city with water.

At the end of the tour you will be able to buy souvenirs - makrud cookies and traditional Tunisian sweets, leather, ceramics and, perhaps, even the main pride of Kairouan - hand-woven wool or silk carpet.