Monastir, Tunisia
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Monastir مـنسـتير |
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Monastir from the ribat's tower
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 Monastir from space |
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 Monastir
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| Coordinates: 35°47′N 10°50′E / 35.783°N 10.833°ECoordinates: 35°47′N 10°50′E / 35.783°N 10.833°E | ||
| Country |
 Tunisia
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| Governorate | Monastir | |
| Population (2014) | ||
| • Total | 104,535 | |
| Time zone | CET (UTC1) | |
| ZIP code | 5000 | |
| Area code(s) | 73 | |
Monastir, also called Mīstīr (Arabic: مـنسـتير 
Monāstīr / Mīstīr, from the Greek "hermit's cell, monastery"), is a city on the central coast of Tunisia, in the Sahel area, It is 20 kilometres (12 miles) south of Sousse and 162 kilometres (101 miles) south of Tunis. Traditionally a fishing port, Monastir is now a major tourist resort. Its population is about 104,535. It is the capital of Monastir Governorate.
Monastir was founded on the ruins of the Punic–Roman city of Ruspina. The city features a well-preserved ribat that was used to scan the sea for hostile ships and as a defence against the attacks of the Byzantine fleet. Several ulema came to stay in the ribat of this peaceful city for contemplation. The ribat was, in the 1970s, also one of the filming locations for both the miniseries Jesus of Nazareth and Monty Python's Life of Brian.
The city is on the electrified, metre-gauge Sahel Metro line with trains serving Sousse and Mahdia. Other services run to Tunis.
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Wikipedia