El Jem Travel Recommendations for 2024 (Updated in Jul)

The Three Great Amphitheaters of the World - El Jem Amphitheater in Tunisia

🏟️ One of the three great amphitheaters of the world, the El Jem Amphitheater in Tunisia, was built at the beginning of the 3rd century AD. It has a long history and is a famous magnificent building left by the Roman Empire in Africa. 🏚️ Its majestic and grand design, imposing atmosphere, perfect construction, has been described by the French writer Guy de Maupassant as 'the most wonderful amphitheater in the world', 'a symbol and emblem of the Roman Empire's presence in Africa'. For centuries, the El Jem Amphitheater in Tunisia, with its grandeur, imposing atmosphere, scientific layout, and perfectly harmonious construction, has conquered all visitors, much like the Pyramids of Egypt. ⛰️ The towering huge silhouette of the amphitheater stands tall like a great castle fortress, rising from the ground, standing against the sky. It is 36 meters high, has 500 doors, and can accommodate 40,000 people in the Roman theater... The superb and exquisite Roman-era architecture, sculpture, and mosaic art make one feel as if walking into a palace of art, with every step drawing admiration from the present. 🗿 Climbing to the top of the spectator seats, the vast amphitheater scenery is fully visible, overlooking the entire panorama of the ancient arena. It resembles a large pot laid flat, with tiered seating densely packed from bottom to top. Sitting in the stands, one falls into contemplation of the distant history, as if the thrilling and fervent beast fights are reenacted before one's eyes. Here, there is also the only dungeon in the world that can be entered to visit where warriors and wild beasts were once held, to see the iron cages that once contained lions, and the passages that gladiators walked through before fighting to the death... 🈺 Opening hours 7:00-16:30 🎫 12 Dinars (about 28 RMB) 🫙 There are no shops in the scenic area, but you can bring some food and drinks. There is a souvenir shop at the exit where you can buy fridge magnets and other ornaments. ⚠️ Many places have no railings or walls, so be careful when climbing. 🌞 The scenic area is almost entirely outdoors, with plenty of light, so please be mindful of sun protection and heat prevention. 📷 Photo check-in spots: · The highest point of the amphitheater spectator stands · The center of the amphitheater arena · The Roman column corridor

The Amphitheater of El Jem.

Visiting the Roman amphitheater in El Jem was a wonderful historical experience. The amphitheater was a majestic monument reflecting the grandeur of the ancient Roman Empire. I enjoyed wandering through its corridors, admiring the splendid architectural details, and the view from above captured my heart with its beauty and splendor. This visit was a journey through time to the past, leaving me in awe of the rich history and culture of the arena.

El Jem Amphitheatre in Tunisia

Visiting Tunisia, one must go to El Jem, a small town near the city of Sousse, which boasts one of the world's best-preserved Roman amphitheatres, a splendid architectural legacy of the Roman Empire in Africa. The amphitheatre's walls stand 36 meters high, with a major axis of 148 meters and a minor axis of 122 meters, forming an oval shape that can accommodate around 40,000 spectators at once, with private boxes included. There is a protective wall inside the arena to prevent spectators from getting injured. The front seats were reserved for nobility, the middle for respected citizens with status, and the rear area for the common people to watch. Today, the El Jem Amphitheatre becomes Tunisia's most important cultural venue once again as it hosts the summer arts festival. tip Tickets are 12 DT (approximately 28 RMB in Chinese currency). Come quickly, this is the least crowded ancient Roman amphitheatre in the world, without a doubt! El Jem Amphitheatre

The only ancient Roman amphitheater that can be visited underground

On March 22, 238 AD, the governor of the Roman Empire's African province (Africa, roughly in today's northern Tunisia and western Libya's Mediterranean coastal area) declared himself emperor in the newly built El Jem Amphitheater, known as Gordian I. Gordian I, who had served as the commander of the Syrian region, the governor of the British province, and the Roman city official, was famous and wealthy, and loved to watch beast performances. After being arranged by Emperor Alexander Severus to go to North Africa, Gordian I built the El Jem Amphitheater in imitation of the Roman Amphitheater. The city of Jem (then called Thysdrus) where the amphitheater is located is the second largest city after Carthage. The El Jem Amphitheater is the only ancient Roman amphitheater in the world that can be visited underground. The corridors on both sides of the underground palace are compartments for imprisoning slaves and beasts. Here, the rights of beasts are greater than human rights, 10 people are squeezed into a compartment, and beasts can enjoy single rooms. Like the Roman Amphitheater, the underground palace here is equipped with a winch-type lifting device that can send gladiators and beasts to the ground arena; the sewer system is responsible for discharging the dirty water that washes the corpses out of the field.

El Jem Amphitheatre in Tunisia

The El Jem Roman Amphitheatre, located about an hour's drive south of Sousse in the city of El Jam, Tunisia. El Jem Amphitheatre is one of the three best-preserved Roman amphitheatres in the world, even more intact than the Colosseum in Rome. The El Jem Museum was established by the Carthaginians in the second century AD and gradually perfected.

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