Dougga, Tunisia
Dougga or Thugga is a Roman ruin in northern Tunisia settled on a 65 hectare site. UNESCO qualified Dougga as a World Heritage Site in 1997, believing that it represents “the best-preserved Roman small town in North Africa”. The site, which lies in the location of the countryside, has been fortified from the encroachment of modern urbanisation, in contrast, for example, to Carthage, which has been pillaged and rebuilt on numerous occasions. Dougga’s size, its well-preserved monuments and its flush Punic, Numidian, ancient Roman and Byzantine history make it exceptional. Amongst the most famous monuments at the place are a Punic-Libyan mausoleum, the capitol, the theatre, and the temples of Saturn and of Juno Caelestis.
Despite its importance and its surpassing state, Dougga remains off the beaten track for many tourists (the place receives around 50000 visitors per year). In order to make it more attractive, the construction of an on-site museum is being considered, patch the Institut domestic du patrimoine has established a website presenting the place and the close region. For the time being, visitors with decent time can appreciate Dougga, not only because of its many ruins, but also for its olive groves, which give the place a unique ambiance.
GPS coordinates: 36° 25′ 24″ N, 9° 13′ 13″ E
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