Ribat, Monastir is a fortress which was constructed beside the southern coast of the Mediterranean to build a defence line against the invasion of the Muslims which ran from Morocco to Egypt. The Ribat, Monastir was constructed in 796 and is among the oldest and an important fortress in the Maghreb. It is among the most visited Tourist Attractions in Monastir.
The design of Ribat in Monastir was conceived by Zakharia Ibn Al Kadem, the famous oriental architect. The original construction had an area of 1300 sq meters. Later it was enlarged to 2200 sq meters, a century later. By 11the century, the area had doubled. Whatever construction took place later was in regards to accommodate the development in arms technology and design.
The Ribat fortress in Monastir used to admit female teachers as well as students. They were accommodated in an independent wing that was constructed between 9th and 10teh centuries. The entrance to Ribat in Monastir is situated in the west side and provides access to the entrance area. This then opens to the courtyard. The original structure had the layout of a rectangle. There were four groups of buildings in which they opened towards the courtyards. A fifth group linked both the east and the west wings.
The south end had the entrance like an axis that had a rectangular tower over it. There were also a lookout tower that was placed on the base which was like a pyramid. During night, signals were sent by beacons while in daytime pigeons were used to carry the messages between tower and citadels and fortresses. There are large terraces to the north and east side that overlooked the bay of Monastir. These were reserved for deploying the artillery units. Till the end of 19th century, a total of 30 canons were deployed.
These structures were converted into religious centers by the "Aglabids". It saw its heydays as the city of Mahidia, which was made the capital by the "Fatimid". The place became a place of pilgrimage and also an Islamic center. The place used to be frequented by illustrious school as well as legal experts. During this time, the fortress became a medieval university and also abode of intellectuals, who came from all over the Maghreb in North Africa.
The Ribat, Monastir saw many assaults. In 1541, the Spanish troops destroyed a part of the fortress and then the rampart was also destroyed in 1550s. The town was bombed by the French in 1770. This led to a decision of transferring Ribat into a Kasbah.
Present day Ribat, Monastir is among the famous Tourist Attractions in Monastir. It is the center of all modern activities as well as a cultural center.
To know more about Tourist Attractions in Monastir, you can visit travel.mapsofworld.com.
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