Cherchell is a small town, located on the Mediterranean sea about 110km west of Algiers. Here there is an archaeological site, whose Roman ruins are not all in one place, but spread across the town. Cherchell was founded by the Phoenicians in 600 AD and was later taken over by Carthage. It was a Roman colony between 33 BC and the 5th century AD. After the Arab conquest the city degraded.
The Roman ruins are mainly in three places: the main site (the western thermae) is next to the bus and covers an area of 100m x 50m. The amphitheatre is 500m southeast of this site, while the eastern thermae are about 1km east of the western thermae along the coast. Overall the Roman ruins are not as impressive as those in Tipasa.
How to get to Cherchell
It takes about one and a half hour by car to reach Cherchell from Algiers, driving on a good, motorway-like road.
Accommodation
There is no accomodation in Cherchell. Visitors either stay in nearby Tipasa or in Algiers.
01 Roman ruins 02 Cherchell Roman ruins
03 Roman baths ruins 04 Archaeological site 05 Ruins
06 Ruins 07 Marble pillar fragments 08 Roman ruins
09 Bus stop 10 Bay
11 Shallow sea water
Page viewed 1990 times since 28.03.19
©Copyright Alfred Molon