Historic Site · El Jem, Tunisia
Amphitheatre of El Jem
The Amphitheatre of El Jem (Arabic: قصر الجم, romanized: Qaṣr al-Jamm) is an oval amphitheatre in the modern-day city of El Djem, Tunisia, formerly Thysdrus in the Roman province of Africa. Built 238.
Photo: Carole Raddato via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | El Jem, Tunisia |
|---|---|
| Type | Historic Site |
| Built | 238 |
| Area | Area: 0.264 km² |
| Coordinates | 35.2964° N, 10.7069° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Amphitheatre of El Jem is known for
The Amphitheatre of El Jem (Arabic: قصر الجم, romanized: Qaṣr al-Jamm) is an oval amphitheatre in the modern-day city of El Djem, Tunisia, formerly Thysdrus in the Roman province of Africa.
About Amphitheatre of El Jem
The Amphitheatre of El Jem (Arabic: قصر الجم, romanized: Qaṣr al-Jamm) is an oval amphitheatre in the modern-day city of El Djem, Tunisia, formerly Thysdrus in the Roman province of Africa. It has been listed by UNESCO since 1979 as a World Heritage Site.
History
The amphitheatre was built around 238 AD in Thysdrus, located in the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis in present-day El Djem, Tunisia. It is one of the best preserved Roman stone ruins in the world, and is unique in Africa. Like other amphitheatres in the Roman Empire, it was built for spectator events, and it is one of the biggest amphitheatres in the world.
How to get there
| Nearest town | El Jem |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport (MIR) |
| Distance from the airport | 32.2 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Djerba Zarzis International Airport (DJE) · Mellita, Tunisia · 98.4 miles away
- Tunis Carthage International Airport (TUN) · Tunis, Tunisia · 110.7 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Tunisia
More historic sites
Frequently asked questions
What is Amphitheatre of El Jem?
The Amphitheatre of El Jem (Arabic: قصر الجم, romanized: Qaṣr al-Jamm) is an oval amphitheatre in the modern-day city of El Djem, Tunisia, formerly Thysdrus in the Roman province of Africa.
Where is Amphitheatre of El Jem located?
Amphitheatre of El Jem is in El Jem, Tunisia. Its coordinates are 35.2964° N, 10.7069° E.
How do I get to Amphitheatre of El Jem?
The nearest town is El Jem, and the nearest airport is Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport (MIR), about 32.2 miles away (straight line).
When was Amphitheatre of El Jem built?
Amphitheatre of El Jem was built 238.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphitheatre_of_El_Jem — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2914326 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.