TUNESIA ~ El Ghriba Synagogue - Djerba - UNESCO ~

... Nice interior view of North Africa's oldest active Jewish synagogue... the synagogue’s exterior is modest but inside it is built with the intricate details and colorful designs of the Tunisian and Moorish styles... the walls are lined with tiles and adorned with hand painted blue ornaments... the eastern end of the prayer hall serves as the spiritual epicenter of the sanctuary... it houses the Hechal (or the Holy Ark), which holds some of the most ancient and venerated Torah scrolls in the Jewish diaspora... every year thousands Jews from all over the world make a pilgrimage to the synagogue during a multi-day festival centered on the holiday of Lag BaOmer... the Jews and Muslims of Djerba have lived here together peacefully for centuries... they stand as a shining example of peace and brotherhood that the rest of the world should strive for... it is a place of history, celebration, faith and joy... Heel Erg Bedankt Veerle!ヽ(•‿•)ノ

El Ghriba is located in what was once the Jewish village of Hara Seghira and is now known as er-Riadh. The Jewish community has deep roots in Djerba. It is said Jews have lived there for over 2,500 years.

There are several stories of how the synagogue was founded in the 500s BCE. The exact details have been lost to history and a variety of legends surround the temple.

There are several other synagogues and prayer houses on Djerba, but only El Ghriba holds the Torah. This was purposely done to preserve the synagogue’s place as the center of Jewish life on the island.

 El Ghriba means “the marvelous” or “the strange” in Arabic, a moniker that refers to the synagogue’s storied origins. 

In 2023, Djerba was officially designated a World Heritage Site. 

 

Stamps:

2X Tunisian Handicrafts 

(Issued 10-06-2025)

TUNISIA ~ Douz ~

... Lovely illustrated map showing famous sights... and panoramic desert view of a small charming oasis city referred to as the "Gateway to the Sahara"... as you enter it, a captivating landscape of golden sand dunes stretches endlessly before you... Douz is a popular destination for tourists looking to experience the desert, either by camel, motorcycle or four-wheel drive... this region offers an enthralling mix of natural beauty and cultural heritage... Thanks a lot Jamel!【ツ】 
Douz is a town located in central Tunisia. It is a major palm oasis and as such a large producer of "diglat noor" dates. 

Tunisia is located in North African and borders Algeria, Libya and the Mediterranean Sea.  It also shares maritime borders with Italy through the islands of Sicily, Sardinia  and Malta. Tunisia belongs to the Maghreb states - together with Algeria, Morocco and Libya. Of these it is the smallest country.

 Stamps:

 2X Marine Biology in Tunisia 

(Issued 01-05-2021)

TUNISIA ~Amphitheatre of El Jem - UNESCO ~

... Received a new unesco site...a beautiful piece of history, the largest Roman monument in Africa...I had never heard of it before...it looks stunning...Thanks a lot Xiaomin!!

From backside postcard:
"We like to tell the history, art, popular traditions and folklore of our land through splendid images."
The impressive ruins of the largest Colosseum in North Africa, a huge amphitheatre which could hold up to 35,000 spectators, are found in the small village of El Jem. This 3rd-century monument illustrates the grandeur and extent of Imperial Rome.

 El Jem amphitheatre is the 3rd larger on the world after Rome's and Verona's and even better preserved than Rome's. Now a small town in the middle of nowhere (well, at the edge of the desert), El Jem, the ancient Roman town of Thysdrus, was formerly a crossroads of the caravan trade and a very wealthy town.

The ruins of the amphitheatre were declared a World Heritage Site in 1979.

This site is also famous for filming some of the scenes from the Oscar winning film Gladiator.

Stamp:

Medicinal Plants Issued
(28-06-2011)

TUNISIA ~Hammamet~

Thanks to Johan I got my first written and stamped postcard from Tunisia. He sent it to my from his holiday there!! Thanks a lot!
Hammamet is a town in Tunisia. Due to it beaches it is a popular tourist destination.