El-Haouaria

Ghar El Kebir - El Houaria Quarry - Roman Mines

Useful Information

Location:	Rue des Grottes, El Haouaria 8045. 3 km west of El-Haouaria on the Cape Bon Tunisian Peninsula. Can be reached from the fishing villages of Kelibia and Nabeul. 60 km from Hammamet. (37.059167, 10.995429)
Open:	Winter daily 9-17. Summer daily 9-18. Ramadan daily 9-16. [2025]
Fee:	Adults TND 8, Residents TND 5. [2025]
Classification:	Rock Mine Carthaginian quarry
Light:	bring torch
Dimension:
Guided tours:	self guided
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	no
Bibliography:	Nick Lai, Vicky Lai (2001): El-Haouaria-Carthaginian Quarry. Pelobates, Croydon Caving Club Magazine No 80 [ August 2001] pp 13-14, illus.
Address:	El Haouaria Punic Caves, Rue des Grottes, El Haouaria 8045, Tel: +216-72-273-074.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

7th century BC

begin of quarrying.

Description

The كهوف الهوارية (El Houaria Quarry, El Haouaria Punic Caves) is located at the coast on a protruding peninsula north of El Houaria. Many pages tell that is located near Ghar El Kebir (El Kebir Cave), but actually that’s just another name of the site. It has other names too, like Carrière carthaginoise and Grottes El Haouaria. The quarry is located at the sea where sandstone cliffs were mined right above the sea. Probably this was done to have an easy means on transport, although there are no remains of a harbour. Its also possible they transported the rock with small boats to the ships which waited off the coast.

The reddish and yellow sandstone was quarried to create buildings in Carthage. The mining started probably in the 7th century BC and was first done by the Carthaginians and later, after Carthage was destroyed, by the Romans. There are typical chambers where the rock was mined, and each has a rectangular opening letting in the daylight so no lamps are need. Inside there are numerous traces how huge cuboid rocks were removed. Its rather obvious that at least the Romans, but most likely also the Carthaginians before, used slave labour to quarry the rocks.

To reach the site follow the road to the end. There is a parking lot and a restaurant, a cafe, and a bed and breakfast. The site is a typical quarry with some underground structures which are reached level from the quarry floor. While the site is actually not gated, some caves are, probably the more dangerous. There has been rockfall a few years ago and rumours the site was closed, other pages stated that the site was freely accessible. More resent pages state there are open hours and a fee. We’re not entirely sure, but there seems to be an entrance building with a small museum and an iron gate. If you have visited the site lately we would be happy for any update.

So-called Roman Caves (Grottes Romaines) have been designated a national monument by the Tunisian government and date back to the 6th century BC. They are to be found west of El-Haouaria on the Cape Bon Tunisian Peninsula. The caves, which are 60 km from Hammamet and can be reached from the nearby fishing villages of Kelibia and Nabeul, are 3 km west of the town.

The site includes a shop selling a tri-lingual guide book and other souvenirs.

The caves are in fact sandstone mines on the coast which have been partially eroded by the sea. The pyramid shaped chambers are lit by roof apertures so it is as well to bring your own lights. It is unclear where the tourist parts of the mines begin and end and with your own lights it is possible to venture into the further recesses of the mines. However, beware of the fact that the mines are also inhabited by bats which are probably rabid and that there is little evidence of any health and safety requirements having been put in place for the safety of visitors.

An effort has been made to commercialise the site with the entrances having been cleared and the ground levelled, but basically they are unspoiled to the extent that there are still blocks of stone lying where the miners left them.

Text by Tony Oldham (2001). With kind permission.