Monastir Things to Do

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On the other side of the road from the Bourguiba Mosque lies this Costume Museum which displays traditional Tunisian costumes from all over the country most of which are wedding costumes. The admission cost is a bit pricy for what's on offer.

Open: 9am-12pm & 2-6pm. Admission: TD3 plus TD1 for camera.

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Tunisia's first president Habib Bourguiba was born in Monastir and this mausoleum was built in 1963 so that he could be buried here after his death (which happened in 2000). It is reached via a long paved walked flanked by trees on either side and two octagonal pavilions at its entrance. The mausoleum features gold and green cupolas and two slender 25m (82ft) high minarets that are built from Italian marble. Inside lies his tomb which can also be viewed from a balcony. Other family tombs are also housed within the mausoleum. Admission into the mausoleum is free and more photo's can be found in my travelogues.

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Next door to the Ribat lies the Grand Mosque which was built in the 9th century by the Aghlabids and enlarged by the Zirids in the 11th century. The columns supporting the arches were salvaged from the ruins of ancient Ruspina.

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Immediately northwest of the Ribat in Monastir lies a large cemetery with a number of beautiful old marabouts, some of them decorated with bands of Kufic inscriptions and faience tiles. Particularly notable is the 12th century tomb of Sidi el Mazeri. The large size of the cemetery reflects the desire of many Muslims to be buried close to the Ribat, regarded as a sacred shrine.

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On the southeast side of the Ribat is the three-storey Nador tower, from the top of which there are fine views of the harbour, the large cemetery containing the Bourguiba Mausoleum, the Great Mosque and the roofs of the Medina.

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The ribat's prayer room houses a Museum of Islamic Art. It houses an interesting collection of coins (10th-11th century), Koranic inscriptions (8th-12th century), fabrics (Coptic linen from Egypt, fine silks), glassware, bronze articles, pottery, jewelry and an astrolabe of 927 from Córdoba. Admission is inclued in the price of the Ribat entry ticket.

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Just off the harbour is Monastir's famous Ribat, built by Harthama ben Ayan in 796 AD, which ranks with the Ribat in Sousse as one of the oldest Arab fortresses in North Africa; but while the Ribat in Monastir was further strengthened the one in Sousse soon lost its military importance to the later Kasbah. As a result the similarities between the two buildings are not at first sight evident.

Basically the Ribat is similar in plan to the one in Sousse. Originally it was only 32.80m (108ft) square and lacked the semicircular towers half way along the sides of the Ribat of Sousse. On the southeast side is the three-storey Nador tower, from the top of which there are fine views of the harbour, the large cemetery containing the Bourguiba Mausoleum, the Great Mosque and the roofs of the Medina.

An imposing gateway on the west side of the Ribat leads into the inner courtyard, surrounded on three sides by buildings several storeys high containing the monks' cells, store-rooms and casemates. The monks quarters were separated by another gateway from other buildings (perhaps women's quarters) probably added in the 9th century. More photos can be found in my travelogues.

Open:8.30am-5.30pm. Admission: TD3 plus TD1 for camera.

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This modern mosque was built in 1963 and looks a bit out of place at the eastern side of the Medina. It features a 41m (135ft) high octagonal minaret. The mosque is modelled on the Hammouda Pacha Mosque in Tunis. The prayer hall can accommodate a congregation of a thousand.