From the distribution of water by the Romans, in Zaghouan…
The ancient Uthina, today Oudna, is a Roman city built on a height, dominating a fertile agricultural plain located thirty kilometers south of Tunis on the road leading to Zaghouan. To reach this archaeological site, we depart at 08:00 from your hotel in Hammamet or Tunis.
It is one of the first Roman colonies on the territory of present-day Tunisia. Like any Roman city, the site includes an amphitheater, a capitol, thermal baths, cisterns, an aqueduct and dwellings including rich villas. Along the way, we can admire the aqueduct which carried water from the sources of Djebel Zaghouan to Carthage. The total length of this hydraulic engineering structure is 132 kilometers.
We will continue our quest for the precious liquid with a visit to the « Water Temple », erected in honor of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, who was responsible for the construction of the aqueduct. It constitutes one of the catchments of the sources of Djebel Zaghouan and the starting point of the aqueduct. Lunch in Zaghouan.
…to its use in hammams, in Zriba
Hammam Zriba owes its name to the many hammams that are fed by the waters of Djebel Zaghouan.
It is the ruins of the village of Zriba Olia or Zriba la haute, of Berber origin, which will hold our attention the most. The deserted village built between two rocky peaks offers a beautiful panorama of the Djebel Zaghouan. In its center stands a zaouia dedicated to Sidi Abdel Kader Jilani, founder in the 12th century of the Qadiriyya, a Sufi brotherhood. This zaouia, built in the 17th century, has been extensively restored. There are ancient architectural elements and it served as a Koranic school or maktab for young villagers.
The return to your hotel takes place at the end of the afternoon.
toooooooooop
