Special Roman city DOUGGA through the Andalusian city Testour - 1 Day

Stop at : Dougga, Teboursouk Tunisia

Extensive ruins of a Roman city located on a hill, overlooking the surrounding valleys with olive groves. The road to Dougga passes through beautiful and picturesque rural landscapes. Unlike the Roman ruins of Carthage or even European cities where one or two remaining monuments are isolated in the middle of a modern city, in Dougga the entire city is preserved, even the Roman streets. Without the barriers and crowds of tourists, one can take one’s time entering and exiting the houses and tunnels, temples and theaters.
As with other sites in Tunis, Dougga’s history is not limited to the Roman period. There is an ancient Punic temple with a purification bath and walls from the Phoenician period, which was later transformed and reused by the Romans. Therefore, it has Roman pillars. There is also an obvious funerary monument, the mausoleum of Ateban, which dates from the 2nd century BC, is one of the three examples of Numidian royal architecture. Its inscription is in the British Museum and the bilingual Punic-Libyan inscription was used to translate the Libyan script.
It is really worth the detour!

Duration : 2 hours

Stop at : Ain Tounga, Tastur Tunisia

The archaeological site of Ain Tounga
Halfway between Testour and Dougga, one sees at the edge of the road a large square tower in ruins. But one does not imagine that it is the entrance of a remarkable archaeological site, Aïn Tounga.
It is one of the innumerable archaeological sites of great interest scattered all over the Tunisian territory, but which have not yet been developed or arranged for the visit. The site is partially excavated, it covers a total of 30 ha.
The site of Ain Tounga stretches along the hillside in a magnificent landscape of fields, olive trees and green hills, just like the great site of Dougga, a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Like Dougga, there was a city there even before the arrival of the Romans. Then two communities coexisted there: inhabitants of indigenous origin and others of Roman origin.
And as in Dougga again, these two communities competed to endow their city (whose former name was Thignica) with superb Roman-style monuments.
The name of Thignica is also linked to that of the theologian Saint Augustine of Hippo, one of the Fathers of the Church. He delivered a sermon that has remained famous.
Of course, the monuments of Thignica are smaller and less well preserved than those of Dougga. But one finds in these ruins the principal elements of a Roman city, like models of the most famous sites of Tunisia.

Duration : 40 minutes

Stop at : Great Mosque of Testour, Tastur Tunisia

The minaret of the Great Mosque of Testour is equipped with a unique clock in the world. Its hands turn in the opposite direction of a watch and the numbers are also placed backwards.
After 300 years of installation by the Andalusians, the anti-clock of Testour, which had a long breakdown, is back since December 2014.

Duration: 30 minutes