Hammāmāt, Al-

▪ Tunisia

also spelled  Hammamet 

      fishing port and beach resort in northeastern Tunisia, situated on the Gulf of Hammamet. Al-Hammāmāt (Arabic: “bathing places”) is located on the southeast coast of the Sharīk (Sharīk Peninsula) (Cape Bon) Peninsula, on the border of Al-Sāḥil (Sāḥil, Al-) (Sahel) region, and between the Roman sites of Siagum and Pupput, approximately 40 miles (65 km) from Tunis. It is referred to as the Tunisian Riviera because of its sandy beaches, mild winters, and pleasant summers.

      The town's fortress is believed to have been built in the 13th century CE, and the remaining walls of the medina (old town) date to the 15th century. During World War II the German general Erwin Rommel (Rommel, Erwin) used Al-Hammāmāt as his headquarters. After the 1970s the tourism industry increased, and hotels and tourist facilities were developed. A major local attraction is the international cultural centre, housed in a former villa. Pop. (2004 est.) 63,116.

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