Travel Guide Monastir

24 km from Sousse, Monastir is a very pleasant city with a rich historical past. Its memories and its greatness make it naturally a cultural and tourist beacon of the country. Monastir owes most of its prestige to two great men, Caesar and Bourguiba. The Roman general made this small village of Punic origin his base camp during his African campaign against Pompey (in 50 BC), and surrounded it with a triple wall, still visible in places in the city. This is how Ruspina, the future Monastir, whose name was the deformation of the Punic Rouss Penna, made its entry into history. At the end of the 8th century, Monastir was chosen by the Arab dynasty of the Abbasids to host the first Tunisian ribat, a monastery, from which the city probably takes its name; it was then occupied by soldier monks (the mourabitines) who shared their time between prayer and the fight against the invaders. The city thus became an architectural example and an essential stronghold. In the 11th century, following the development of Mahdia, chosen by the Fatimids as their capital, Monastir became a major religious center, earning the title of holy city. Under Turkish domination, in the 16th century, it regained its role as a stronghold. From the Independence, the city benefited again from the help of a man to get out of the shadow. Habib Bourguiba, the first president of the Tunisian Republic, a native of Monastir, offered it, from the 1960s, enormous means to develop. More than 10% of the national budget was devoted to Monastir, both for the restoration of its monuments and for the construction of modern facilities. It is in Monastir that President Bourguiba ended his life. He is buried in a mausoleum whose splendor illustrates his life.Monastir is today an important tourist and university center, with an international airport, a vast marina, many hotels and public gardens. All this for a town of at least 60,000 inhabitants; smaller, the city is quieter than Sousse.Some may find the modern city a bit cold, with its vast spaces. Nevertheless, the old city remains lively and authentic. Monastir has an undeniable charm, between its three ports, its fine sandy beaches and its old houses, one can only be seduced.