s it was the birth-place of ex-President Bourguiba. The most dominating feature of the town is the family mausoleum of the President Bourguiba which has green and gold colored domes adorned with gilt-tipped minaret. The place has witnessed major development all through these years and has grown up into one of the most popular sea-side resorts in Tunisia. Most of the tourists also add in their tour a visit to Skanes which is 6 miles away from the town centre of Monastir where you can rewind yourself.
The city was established by the Phoenicians as a trading station under the name Rous Penna and under the Romans it was called Ruspina. Caesar made Monastir his headquarters by surrounding it with triple ring of walls during the civil war with Pompey. When it came under the rule of Arabs in the 8th century, Monastir was fortified by a chain of monasteries. On realizing the strategic importance of the position of Monastir, the Arabs constructed the Ribat. It also played a role of being the holiest Islamic town in Tunisia. During the Turkish era, the Ribat again regained its military importance. But in the French period, its role was just limited as a fishing and market town. Monastir has recently revived over the last 20 years just because of the mass tourism.
 Bourguiba’s Mausoleum
Habib Bourguiba was the first president of Tunisia and is generally considered to be the father of modern Tunisia. The Bourguiba’s Mausoleum was built in 1963 and is home to his parents and wife. He, too, was buried here after his death. The mausoleum has the features similar to the mosque and zawiyya. There are 3 domes and 2 minarets which mark the entry to the mausoleum.
The Ribat of Harthema
The main attraction of Monastir is the Ribat of Harthema which has a very stunning setting. It began in 796 AD but has undergone several remakes due to warfare. However, at present it does not have any military importance but a regular maintenance is being done to give it the same look as it had in its heyday. The walls in the southern part are from 9th century and the walls in the northern part belong to the 11th century and some belong to the 18th and 19th century. The oldest area is the place around the lookout tower, nador.
The museum also lies in the oldest part of the ribat and has an impressive collection of ancient Islamic writings, fabrics, pottery, astrolables and carved roof timber.
The Slick Medina
The Medina has gone through a major change in the 1960s. The large open areas of the medina were torn down and the streets were widened and buildings with beautiful porticos were built. Only few areas of medina are left crowded with tourist stalls. Some parts of Medina have been restored to a greater extent that they do not give much of the Tunisian look.
The Big Mosque
It is the main mosque of Monastir built in the 9th century and was again rebuilt in the 11the century. It is a very small mosque placed close to the ribat.
The Bourguiba Mosque
The Bourguiba Mosque was built in 1963 and follows mainly the traditional patterns. The doors are of teak and built by craftsmen from Kairouan. The prayer hall has 86 pillars made of pink marbles which hold the arch. It has the capacity to accommodate around 1,000 believers at one time for service.
The Beach
The beach of Monastir is a very beautiful place to enjoy swimming and basking in the sun. Though it is close to the town centre yet the sand and water of the beach is clean. The feature adding more beauty to the beach is the wonderful islet.
Getting Around
You can take flights from the international airport of Monastir-Skanès which is 7 Km away from the town centre. Next to the Medina is Métro du Sahel from where you can get regular train service to Sousse, Tunis, Gabès and also to the airport. You can also take bus from Gare Routière at Bab el Gharbi which is located on the west-side of the Medina. The bus services connect you to Tunis, Sousse, Mahdia, Sfax and also some places in Sahel. |