Arch of Trajan

The triumphal arch at the western end of the decumanus maximus is the symbolic gateway to Timgad and the most photographed structure on site. It rises about 12 metres and is remarkably complete — the carved decoration on the attic story is still legible, and the archway itself is generous enough to suggest the processions it was built to frame.

Walking through the arch and down the flagstone main street toward the forum gives you the clearest sense of the original city's scale. The paving stones still bear the deep ruts worn by centuries of cart wheels — some of the most evocative details anywhere in the Roman world.

things to do sight
A story
The arch stood long after Timgad itself was buried — for centuries it was the only structure visible above the sand dunes that swallowed the city. Local people called the ruins "Thamuda" and had no idea a full Roman city lay beneath their feet until French archaeologists began excavating in 1881.