Photo: The remain of a Roman olive press (Photo By: F. Caparrotti)
By Franco Caparrotti
There are many beautiful sites around Tripoli and it takes just a day to make a nice excursion and discover places of very high interest.
Take advantage of the nice weather and with the spring popping-up, just get ready for a nice picnic under one of the thousand almond trees in flower and start.
This time we propose a trip to Tarhuna and surrounding area.
Leave the capital Tripoli through the airport highway; just few kilometers (3 Km) from the airport you will find a fly over. Just pass under the bridge and take the exit which will head toward the city of Benghashir (famous for the water spring).
Here turn right and head toward Tarhuna. After passing Fam Molga village, about 60 km from Benghashir, you reach a very small village.
Just stop next to the pharmacy (easy to recognize for the Red Crescent sign) Just opposite the pharmacy there is a small stony hill. Climb it and at half way you found prehistorically rock engravings similar to the ones in the Akakus and wadi Matandush. Amazing if you consider how close they are to the capital.
Proceed toward Tarhuna and at the main square (circle) head left toward the famous spring. The surprises are not over, just before reaching the water spring of Tarhuna were people use to picnic you need to stop and look for more prehistorically rock engravings remains which are scattered on the ground at the top of a hill. You park your car next to a farm on your left and walk up to a hill where you can discover under your feet the amazing engravings.
Now you must reach the spring of Tarhuna known locally as "Sharshara"; there is still water running in the "wadi".
Find your spot and enjoy your picnic. Close, but really very close to you, just scroll around and you will found a Roman oven (klin) properly fenced but with an easy access. The date of the oven is unknown.
Another important site to visit is the Roman mausoleum which was built in the third centaury A.D. Return to Tarhuna and takes the highway Tarhuna - Khoms and after about 3 Km you have a road on your left stretching along olive trees fields. Take this road and drive slowly because after few kilometers (6 km) and before arriving to the Doga village you can see on your right hand side the stunning Roman mausoleum. You can visit as well the inner part, the burial chamber.
It is not over yet. Return to the highway and take the direction to Khoms and after more or less 8 kms you will encounter the small village of Al Khadra and in the main square of the city there are the remain of a Roman olive press. There is not so much remain but it is still worth to see.
After an intensive and enjoyable day full of culture and memories, you can return home from two possible directions: through Khoms (longer) or back to Tarhuna and then Tripoli.
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