Bulla Regia

Bulla Regia is an ancient archaeological site in northwestern Tunisia, in Jendouba Governorate, notable for its Roman-period domestic architecture and mosaics. The site is best known for its exceptional semi-subterranean houses dating to antiquity.

The ruins include domestic complexes with partly underground living quarters, where floor mosaics and wall remains survive across several houses. Visitors can see well-preserved mosaic floors depicting mythological, geometric and hunting scenes and the layout of Roman domestic rooms adapted to local climate.

The settlement began in the indigenous Numidian period and was substantially developed under Roman rule; most visible remains date from the Roman Imperial period, especially the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. Excavations in the 20th century revealed the unusual underground house plans and the mosaics that make the site significant.

The site sits inland in northwest Tunisia within Jendouba Governorate, on the high ground of the region rather than the coast, and is accessed from nearby towns in the governorate.

• Subterranean houses: Many houses are semi-subterranean, built with rooms set partly below ground level to reduce summer heat and preserve mosaics.