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:: Destinations
Dougga
If you are keen on ancient
monuments and Roman ruins, Dougga is a must visit. Situated at
a distance of 105 km (65 miles) southwest of Tunis, Dougga has
the most spectacular and best preserved Roman ruins in
Tunisia. Overlooking the fertile wheat-growing valley of the
Oued Kalled, they occupy a commanding position on the edge of
the Tebersouk Mountains. The site of the ruins were inhabited
till early 1950s when the residents were moved elsewhere on
order to preserve the remnants of the past.
There's so much to see at
Dougga, and unless you're operating on a super-tight budget
it's best to hire a licensed guide.
The first and foremost monument
to be visited is the 3500-seat theatre, which was built
into the hillside in 188 AD by one of the city's wealthy
residents. It has been extensively renovated and makes a
spectacular setting for floodlit performances of classical
drama during the Dougga Festival in July and August. Shadows
of the centuries slip past the monumental walls of the theatre
for the imaginative visitor.
Just
past the theatre, a track leads to the Temple of Saturn,
erected on the site of an earlier temple to Baal Hammon.
Southwest of the theatre, a winding street leads down to the Square
of the Winds, where the paving is laid out like an
enormous compass and lists the names of the 12 winds. Another
temple borders the square to the north, while the market and
capitol lie to the south and west, respectively.
Yet
another grand reminder of the past is the ‘capitol’. The capitol
is a remarkable monument - one of the finest in Tunisia - that
was raised in 166 AD. Six enormous, fluted columns support the
portico, which are some 8m (25ft) above the ground. The frieze
has an unusual carving that has weathered the centuries,
depicting the emperor Antonius Pius being carried off in an
eagle's claws. There was an enormous statue of Jupiter, which
fell on bad days the fragments of which are now in the Bardo
Museum in Tunis.
Quite close by is the House
of Dionysus & Ulysses, which was once a glorious
residence. A wonderful mosaic of the Ulysses enchanted and
cast under a spell by the sirens was found here. It has since
been shifted to the Bardo Museum
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