埃尔杰姆露天剧场，突尼斯 Amphitheatre of El Jem, Tunisia (© Westend61/Getty Images)

埃尔杰姆露天剧场，突尼斯 Amphitheatre of El Jem, Tunisia (© Westend61/Getty Images)

为罗马建筑“起立欢呼” A 'standing ovation' to Roman architecture

埃尔杰姆露天剧场，突尼斯

埃尔杰姆露天剧场位于突尼斯东部小城镇艾尔杰姆，始建于公元3世纪的罗马帝国时期，以其令人惊叹的建筑设计闻名。它由巨石砌成，可以容纳35000名观众，至今仍然是世界上最大的露天剧场之一。这座露天剧场自1979年就被列为联合国教科文组织世界遗产地，被认为是世界上保存最完好的罗马建筑之一，在体量和设计上几乎可以和罗马竞技场比肩。

剧场地下有着复杂的隧道系统，对游客开放参观。尽管历史悠久，剧场的地面仍然保存完好，游客还可以在上面行走，代入一下古代表演者的体验。

Amphitheatre of El Jem, Tunisia

This impressive structure is the Amphitheatre of El Jem, in the Tunisian town of the same name. Made entirely from stone blocks, it was built in the 3rd century CE, when this area was Thysdrus, a city of ancient Rome. Once capable of seating up to 35,000 spectators, it is the largest colosseum in North Africa and one of the largest in the world. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, it is one of the best-preserved Roman amphitheatres, almost equal in grandeur to the Colosseum in Rome.

Beneath the arena, there is an extensive underground network of tunnels and chambers, which are open to visitors. Despite its age, the arena floor is still preserved, and visitors can walk on it, following in the footsteps of gladiators and others who stepped out before huge crowds, nearly 2,000 years ago.