In order not to miss anything interesting from the numerous Phoenician, Roman and Byzantine ruins of Carthage and at the same time not to fall down at the end of the day to the nearest oleander bushes, we suggest you familiarize yourself with the rationalized route developed by our expert specifically for the readers of the "Tonkosti."

To start we note that the ruins of Carthage "take" a name, a convenient location in the suburbs of the capital, great museums, picturesque landscape and "layered" dig - you can see the remains of several buildings at once their epochs . If your goal is a Roman city in all its glory and almost untouched, you have a direct road to Duggu or Sbitlu: there you can get an idea of ​​a single complex of Roman buildings - squares and streets, private villas, temples and theaters, markets, toilets and brothels . In Carthage the ruins are more fragmented and, as they say, snatched from the context: here is the fenced-off Punic Topet, high on the hill - stand-alone water tanks, at the sea edge - a complex of Roman baths . Undoubtedly, this does not detract from the importance of the archaeological which has been under construction for several decades and is unlikely to ever end, but you have to admire here rather individual "jewels" rather than the "tiara" as a whole .

Determine with the route

Move along the ruins Carthage is better from the bottom up, or from south to north. Such an examination would be historically: we start with the Phoenician burial Tophet and Phoenician as ports continue its Roman monuments and complete Christian basilica. The rise of the terrain from south to north is small, so that the extra effort to "climbing" we are not costs (except the hill Beers, which will have to climb, where we might have come).

Stop # 1: Topet

So first, we land at the TGM "Carthage Salammbo" not crossing the path, rush on a little bit down down to the sea . We take to the left, on rue Hannibal and after 200 m we find ourselves before the burial site of Topet, one of the most ancient archaeological sites of Carthage . A small piece of land surrounded by a wall is entirely covered with stone burial shelves 8-2 centuries BC e . - with the image of the "Tanith sign", figures of people and animals, flowers and open palms . Do not forget to look into the catacombs - here you can also see stellas and feel the mystical atmosphere of Topete . And although the fact of killing children for glory Baal Ammon is not proven to be one hundred there is something in the air that is oppressive .

Stop # 2: Amiroth and the "sea" museums

After leaving Tophet, continue along Hannibal Street . Meters through 300 the road goes to the right, to the island of Amirot, once the land part of the Phoenician ports: the merchant and the military . Today there is the Oceanographic Museum "Dar El-Hoot" ("Fish House") and, on its left, a small one-hall pavilion, proudly called the Museum Punic ports, in which the models of these same ports and walls are exhibited s, telling about their construction and functioning and about the varieties of ancient combat and merchant ships . Actually, the Oceanographic Museum has nothing to do with the excavations of Carthage, but it is worth going there - a lot of information about the seas and oceans of the planet and the Mediterranean, in particular, aquariums with inhabitants of the coastal waters of Tunisia, stuffed and embalmed exhibits of rare cold-blooded, sea knots, as well as models of traditional Tunisian boats and an artifact - deep-water apparatus 19 in for collecting a sponge, which has not been tested in practice .

Stop # 3: Birsa hill

After leaving Amirot, we climb along the street on March 20, 1934, to the main street of Habib Bourguiba, which runs parallel to the sea through the whole of Carthage to Sidi-bu-Said. Our way lies on the hill Beers, the archaeological park of Carthage Museum and St. Louis

We have two options.

1. pass on Habib Bourguiba street about a mile to the station Carthage Dermech - in this case, you can "freshen vezhetalem" in the cafes along the way, and then climb the hill Beers from the southern slope, or

2. jump into the TGM train at the same station located here Carthage Byrsa and go two stops to the Carthage Hannibal, and then climb up on the north side of Beers

If we decide to move on our own, we can drop into the La Charlotte confectionery and refresh ourselves with a piece of cake with a "sytronade" to raise morale. A little further from La Charlotte, on our left, we will see the park and the Museum of the early Christians - there is nothing to do there, as the museum has been closed for "renovation" for several years already, but there are no outstanding ruins in the park. And here we are at the crossroads near the station Carthage Dermech.

where to climb Beers - from the south or the north - is not important, equally steep rise everywhere . southern route more comfortable, beautiful: our journey will pass along the avenue and street Livy Astarte, on both sides of the occupied magnificent example of modern villas de Carthage with lush, well-groomed gardens around . Zat m climb the steep steps to «Ville Didonne" (here can velikosvetskogo dine enjoying almost 360 ° views ethyl Carthage) and obognom fence archaeological complex right . Climbing Beers from the north to the station Carthage Hannibal, Let's go on Amphitheater wide avenues lined with magnificent palm trees, povernom left into the alley - and here we are in front of the museum complex of the hill Beers .

It is worth to stay for a long time: in the open air are located the ruins of the Phoenician residential and handicraft quarters, cellars and the cisterns for collecting rainwater, you can see the beginning of the ancient Roman southern road and numerous artifacts: statues, columns, capitals and t . d . Further we will go to the Museum of Carthage, on two floors of which items found on excavations . Among the pearls - Phoenician sooty terracotta lamps, a stone with a Punic inscription about the construction of the city, masks painted with ostrich eggs, blades 3 in with a handle in the form of a duck and a baby bottle made of terracotta (4 in BC) . From large - male and female sarcophagus and 4 in BC, statues of gods and mosaics . It is interesting to visit St. Louis Cathedral - the interior was recently restored, and the facade is very picturesque and even "tasty" - as if fashioned from meringue .

Stop No. 4: Maalga tank and an amphitheater

Leaving the hill Beers and head to the most remote from the sea Carthage attractions: Maalga tanks for water, the Roman amphitheater and the circus . It is better to travel by taxi from Beers to Maalgi about 700 meters and we still need to to save forces for the "dessert" - the term Antonin Pia . Tanks of Maalga (2 in) provided with water the whole of Carthage, hence their gigantic dimensions: each of the 24 parallel indoor swimming pools stretched for 816 m at a width of 8 m . Productivity - about 400 liters of water per second . Across the road from the tanks we will examine the ruins of the Roman amphitheater . From its grandeur there were only the outlines of the arena and underground structures, as well as the walls separating the arena from the stands . The chapel, erected in the center of the arena, immortalized the memory of the holy Felicians and Perpetua, who were allegedly torn to pieces by wild animals during the Christian riders (the beginning of 3 in) . Then you can head south - by taxi or on foot (1 km) to see the ruins of the Roman circus hippodrome, but let's say, there is nothing to look at - there is a patch of oblong form in the wasteland - only total .

Aerial Cathedral

Birsa Hill

Punic stelae in Tofeto

Exhibit of the museum in Carthage

Stop number 5: the quarter of the Roman villas

From Maalga and the amphitheater, we return to the sea along Mohammed Ali Street - this is a descent, so it's easy to walk 600 meters to the Roman theater and a block of Roman villas (less hardy, of course, can cover this distance by taxi) .In the theater for 5000 spectators, built on the classical principle of Roman amphitheaters, remarkable acoustics have been preserved, and the International Festival of Arts of Carthage is held here every year .The quarter of the Roman villas was built in 1 in accordance with the town planning plan, with direct streets and a clear layout of the quarters .His pearl is a restored Villa of the cage, named because of the mosaic with the bird's courtyard depicted on it - a rich house for several families with ceremonial halls, terraces, swimming pools, private baths and shops .

Stop number 6: the terms of Emperor Antonin Pius

We leave the quarter of villas, we return to the palm-lined avenue, we cross the TGM paths and find ourselves in the most touristy untwisted place of Carthage - the therms of Emperor Antoninus Pius, built in the best traditions of balneological art .Remained from them, unfortunately, a little, but the grandeur of the building can be judged by the painstakingly created model, located on the observation deck before the terms .Here you should go downstairs, wander through the premises of the former cold hall, see the holes through which the steam rose from the underground rooms to the steam room and estimate the height of the term from the reconstituted column .In addition to the term, there is a Byzantine-era basilica, a funerary crypt of early Christians and the ruins of a private house with a magnificent mosaic in situ with floating smiling cupids whose plump bodies for thousands of years have retained a delicate pink shade .Well, above the park stands a snow-white complex of buildings of the Presidential Palace - we remind you that it can not be photographed .

On the opposite end of the street leading to the entrance to the archaeological park of Termon Antonina, are the ruins of the Magon quarter - the foundations of Roman villas and shops in turn on the foundations of the Phoenician buildings of the quarter of artisans. To look especially there is nothing, it is possible to pass with an easy heart.

Stop number 7, the last one: the Byzantine basilica

And, finally, the ending of our Carthaginian journey - the ruins of the Byzantine Basilica Domus Caritatis ("house of mercy"), altered to the local mode "Damus El Carita" .(Dreamers lying under a bush can drop this point of the route and finish with the terms .) Ruins are located about 1, 3 km from the term, in the distance from the sea - it makes sense to get there by taxi .This is one of the most remarkable buildings of the early Christian era, once a vast complex consisting of a monastery and a chapel, two basilicas, a baptismal room and an underground rotunda with 16 columns .The rotunda is the most remarkable part of the complex, which has survived to the present day with minimal destruction .

So we have examined Carthage - now you can return to TGM in the capital city or celebrate your acquaintance by "hanging" in neighboring Sidi Bou Said: let's say, dine (or, rather, have supper) in Au Bon Vieux Temps or Dar Zarrouk, and then stay for a night in the charming Dar Said 4 *. And of course, you can continue to the picturesque suburbs of La Mars and Gammarth: there are a lot of hotels, restaurants and cafes here.