World Heritage Identification Number: 38
World Heritage since: 1979
Category: Cultural Heritage
WHE Type: Archaeological Sites
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇹🇳 Tunisia
Continent: Africa
UNESCO World Region: Arab States
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The Amphitheatre of El Jem: A Glimpse into Imperial Rome's Grandeur
The Amphitheatre of El Jem, nestled in the heart of the modern-day city of El Djem, Tunisia, stands as a testament to the grandeur and expansive reach of Imperial Rome. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, this colossal amphitheater offers a captivating glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of ancient Rome.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
The impressive ruins of the largest colosseum in North Africa, a huge amphitheatre which could hold up to 35,000 spectators, are found in the small village of El Jem. This 3rd-century monument illustrates the grandeur and extent of Imperial Rome.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (iv): The Amphitheatre of El Jem is one of the rare monuments of its kind and unique in Africa, which is not built against a hillside, but on flat ground and supported by a complex system of arches. The monument of El Jem is one of the most accomplished examples of Roman architecture of an amphitheatre, almost equal to that of the Coliseum of Rome.
Criterion (vi): The construction in a far-off province of a sophisticated and complex building, designed for popular spectacles, is characteristic of imperial Roman propaganda.
Encyclopedia Record: Amphitheatre of El Jem
The Amphitheatre of El Jem is an oval amphitheatre in the modern-day city of El Djem, Tunisia, formerly Thysdrus in the Roman province of Africa. It is listed by UNESCO since 1979 as a World Heritage Site.Additional Site Details
Area: 1.37 hectares
Number of Components: 1
(vi) — Directly associated with events or living traditions
Coordinates: 35.29639 , 10.70694
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© Cimoi, CC BY-SA 3.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
