The sleepy hamlet of Gafsa teeters on the edge of a yawning oasis between a mountain and a desert, just under 60 miles from the much larger Tozeur. In ancient history, the town was a fiefdom of the Kingdom of Numidia, but the Roman Marius flattened it in 106 B.C. and rebuilt it from the ground up as a garrison. Today, Gafsa serves as the main hub of transportation for a sparsely populated region, with vineyards, olive plantations and ruins peppering the landscape.
Gafsa's Roman pools, two reservoirs connected by an impassably narrow tunnel, stand in the middle of a quiet square near the center of town. The pools are carved with faded Latin inscriptions and, in the summertime, populated by splashing children. The water enters the pools from a geothermal spring. Built to be about 16 feet deep, an ancient waterline remembers that the water once reached close to the top. However, modern wells and boreholes have diverted much of the feeder spring to irrigate Gafsa's desert crops, so don't expect a swim: the water fills only a few inches at the bottom of the reservoir.
The Gafsa Archaeological Museum lies just across the square from the Roman pools and pays homage to the city's pre-Roman days, as well as its heyday as a Roman garrison. Installations of note include a few mosaics originally from Sousse, an ancient port-side resort on the east coast of Tunisia, including one that depicts the athletic games once enjoyed by the Roman occupiers. The museum also houses a Capsian figurine made during the Neolithic Age. The next-door tourist office can help point curious travelers in the direction of lesser known local historical sites.
Gafsa's main mosque -- the Great Mosque -- probably dates from the 9th or 10th century B.C., built during the Aghlabid Dynasty to serve post-Roman locals in ostentatious style: More than a hundred columns flourish the courtyard portico and prayer hall, which is decorated with ceramic tiles in a striking blue hue. Visitors must dress appropriately according to gender-specific rules that govern Islamic etiquette and enter only during announced times of prayer.
Named for the "Father of Tunisia'" -- a statesman and the first president of the republic of Tunisia -- Habib Bourguiba Square collects a variety of shops, government offices and a pleasant small park in the eastern part of town. The square is flanked by wide, modern boulevards put in during a phosphate boom. Stroll along them to see the Dar Loungo, a traditional 17th century house, and Dar el-Sharif, an impressive structure built by a wealthy 18th century landowner.
