Chemtou (Simitthus) Archaeological Site & Museum
شمتو / Chemtou
The quarry ruins of the famous yellow Numidian marble of the Roman Empire, with an excellent museum established with help from a German archaeological team.
Chemtou was the ancient Roman city of Simitthus, the source of the most famous yellow “Numidian marble” of the Roman Empire. This red-veined stone was shipped to Rome to adorn temples and palaces. The site includes the ancient quarries, a Numidian sanctuary on the hilltop, a theater, baths, aqueducts, the remains of a Roman bridge, and a labor camp where convicts were held. The museum, set up with help from the German Archaeological Institute, displays a reconstruction of a Numidian temple, mosaics, and fine stone carvings, and its content is solid. It is about an hour’s drive from Tabarka and can be combined with the Bulla Regia site as a day trip.
Opening hours
About 08:30–17:30 (closed Mon; check on site)
Nearby sights
- El Feidja National Park
- Hammam Bourguiba
- Beni M'Tir Dam & Lake
- Aïn Draham & Cork Oak Forest
- Tabarka Marina & Beach
- Tabarka Coral Reef Diving
- Les Aiguilles
- Genoese Fort of Tabarka