The Mausoleum of Bourguiba

The Mausoleum of Bourguiba is a memorial dedicated to Habib Bourguiba, the first president of Tunisia. It is located in Monastir, Tunisia, and was built to honor the legacy of Bourguiba, who played a key role in the country’s independence movement and is widely regarded as one of its founding fathers. The mausoleum is a large, modern structure that features a mosque, a library, and a museum, as well as a tomb where Bourguiba is buried. The site attracts many visitors and is an important destination for those interested in the history and cultural heritage of Tunisia. The mausoleum is also an important symbol of the country’s political and cultural identity and represents the achievements and aspirations of the Tunisian people.

The mausoleum is a sepulchral monument located in the center of the city of Monastir, notably housing the remains of former president Habib Bourguiba, a native of the city and father of Tunisian independence, he is the statesman of Tunisia, born in 1903 and died in 2000. Habib Bourguiba launched the construction of his own tomb during his lifetime in 1963.

The Mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba was built during Bourguiba’s lifetime according to the characteristics of traditional architecture and the modern Arab-Muslim style, is located in the western part of the cemetery not far from the Marabout of Sidi Mézri, the main burial place of the town, at the end of the main alley which is about 200 meters long.

It houses in addition to the body of the deceased president and his first wife Mathilde (Moufida), those of his parents and brothers, as well as other family members in two other rooms, his family was also buried there.

The structure of the monument is reminiscent of a mosque, due to its golden dome, flanked by two minarets. The Mausoleum is located near the cemetery of Monastir, dating from the 12th century, and next to the Ribat and the Navy of Monastir.
The building, framed by two very beautiful minarets 25 meters high, is surmounted by a golden dome which is itself surrounded by two green domes. The entrance door to the mausoleum and the gate that separates it from the rest of the cemetery are two fine examples of Tunisian art.

The interior of Habib Bourguiba’s mausoleum was one of the monuments that impressed me the most in all of Tunisia. The mausoleum was built in the life of President Habib Bourguiba, and is the same style as many buildings from the era of white marble, minarets and the dome decorated with gold. What is more striking is the large white marble tomb containing the remains of Tunisia’s first president.

In the mausoleum is a small museum where some personal items of President Habib Bourguiba are kept such as his office from the presidential palace of Tunis Carthage, pens, passports and his identity card (bearing the number 1), his glasses as well as his photos and his costumes.