Last Updated: 2022-02-10

It’s a strange aspect of the human condition that places battered by the passage of time often hold more meaning for us than fresh, new ones. Because the less we see, the more we imagine.

Although we appreciate the novelty of a beautiful, new home, it’s a much richer experience to cross the threshold of an old house and take in the smell of ancient furniture and the sight of yellowed books piled on the shelves. We wonder what stories those aged walls would tell, and curiosity lights a fire in our imagination.

The Chellah Necropolis is not just a place where we can see centuries-old monuments. If we listen carefully, it will tell us the tale of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Arabs who lived in this unique location.

In the Chellah Necropolis, also known as Chellah in Rabat, lived Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans and Arabs

Historical Background

What we now call a necropolis was, originally, a port of call known as Sala Colonia. This was an ideal location to do business since it’s located at the mouth of a navigable river (Bou Regreg) that flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The first major settlement here was most likely founded by the Phoenicians, and the Romans later expanded it into a full-fledged city.

In time it was abandoned to the sands of time until the Arabs came into the area and built a mosque and several shrines. After the death of their sultan, they built a mausoleum for him on this site. In time extensions were added, such as a madrasa and a hammam.

Rabat’s troubled history and the Great Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 conspired to turn the necropolis into a pile of ruins. It eventually underwent a restoration and, in time, became the venue for a well-known international jazz festival.

The wall of Chellah in Rabat envelops the city of Sala Colonia

Getting Into the Necropolis

A good plan is to go to the Mohammed V Mausoleum or the Hassan Tower in the morning before the crowds arrive, then go to the Necropolis, which is on the outskirts of town. It’s a refreshingly calm place to visit after a busy morning in the typical tourist spots. Sunsets here are gorgeous and the afternoon sun really makes the colors pop.

The entrance fee is 70 dirhams and it’s another 20 to 30 dirhams for the taxi ride one way.

The first thing we see is be the imposing wall that protects the cemetery, with the main entrance and its two accompanying octagonal towers. After we cross the threshold, we are flanked on both sides by a solemn line of trees and shrubs.

Chellah Necropolis in Rbat is a place inextricably linked to the history of the city

Map of the Chellah Necropolis (click to enlarge)

Now, we’re in the historical area. Here, there are several items that predate the Arab conquest of the region, including the main road in the center which was the main thoroughfare of Sala Colonia. Most people lived in the artisans’ quarter to the left of the road and religious institutions were either on the right, like the capitolium, or in front, like the temple.

Further along is an open area that we can imagine bustling with activity in ancient times: like the triumphal arch where victories were celebrated, the forum where debates were held and business dealings were closed, and the baths where hygiene was a good excuse to strengthen relationships.

Remains of Sala Colonia in the Necropolis of Chellah

Unfortunately, the Roman era section has only been minimally restored, so we’ll need to sharpen our imagination.

The good news is that the Arab era section is in very good shape. The hammam, the Arab counterpart of the Roman thermal baths, is a prime example. It’s located in the corner farthest from the entrance and features traditional curved roof tiles. Unfortunately, visitors are not allowed inside.

The Roman era section of Chellah in Rabat has only been minimally restored

Crowned with a minaret is a place where social interaction, education and religion went hand in hand: the madrasa, where students took in knowledge; the mosque, dedicated to feeding the mind as well as the spirit; and the mausoleum, where the earthly remains of the Sultan rest, along with other who were close to him, including his wife.

Finally, a little further away there is a small pool originally used for ablutions. After a flood, aquatic animals made a home here, including a colony of eels which were thought to provide a certain protective power.

In front of the pool, there are several small shrines and tombstones of people that Rabat has given special honor. These add to the magical atmosphere that defines the necropolis.

Chellah in Rabat today is inhabited by dozens of storks

Modern Inhabitants of Chellah

Although one might imagine otherwise, the necropolis is not uninhabited. Obviously no Romans live here, much less Phoenicians, not even the citizens of Rabat themselves, with the occasional exception of guards, would-be tour guides or a random dancer in front of the entrance, giving life to the Moroccan maxim that any place is a business opportunity.

Storks are the modern inhabitants here. These birds are sacred to Muslims. Their instinct to migrate to a better climate is attributed to divine inspiration. Dozens of them make their homes in the high points around the necropolis.

Watching from above, they break the silence with their calls and create the minimalist —and appropriate— soundtrack that fills the place, as if it were an echo of all the lives that have been lived here.

Coordinates: 34°00′N -6°82′W (see location)
Size: 12 acres (70,000 m2) approx.
Construction date: The Necropolis started in the 3rd century B.C.E. as a Phoenician settlement. In 40 C.E., the Romans built a city here. Later the Arab Almoravid dynasty renovated it, adding new buildings in the 11th and 12th centuries. In the 14th century, the Marinid dynasty added a protective wall. In 1755, the Great Lisbon earthquake knocked down many of its remaining structures weakened by years of neglect. Shortly thereafter, Rabat became the capital of the French protectorate (1956), a restoration process began and some gardens were added.
Hours: 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM (Mon-Sun)
Entrance fee: 70 dirhams

Photo Gallery with informative captions. Click an image to enlarge.

Chellah is surrounded by a wall, flanked by two towers on both sides of its entrance plus another 17 along its kilometer-long perimeter.

In addition to the gardens that were built during the French protectorate period, Chellah has a very diverse plant life thanks to centuries of spontaneous development. In total there are more than 80 species that have been cataloged.

The artisans’ quarter was made up of different shops, private areas for merchants and artisans, workshops and other spaces for work, with a highlight being the three oil presses.

Ruins of a statue and Roman inscriptions.

Ruins of Roman columns.

The forum was the center of Roman public activity. In addition to most of the floor, some bases of statues that honored important citizens are still preserved.

The triumphal arch was a commemorative monument made up of a 14-foot-high central arch (4.3 m) as well as two 9-foot-high lateral ones (2.8 m). Only the bases of three of the four pillars are preserved.

The Roman baths were made up of two rooms for undressing and exercising plus four spa areas: a cold room, a warm room and two hot rooms.

The nymphaeum had two functions: a more artistic one, representing mythological beings with statues around its perimeter, and a practical one, distributing the water it received from an underground aqueduct to each neighborhood.

The 4000 ft2 Hammam (400 m2) is made up of four chambers: a foyer and three dome-roofed rooms (cold room, warm room, and hot room).

The Mosque of Abu Yusuf is approximately 1250 ft2 (200 m2) and has an open courtyard and a prayer room, with three naves supported by brick pillars topped by horseshoe arches.

The madrasa has the typical layout of an open-air courtyard plus student rooms on both sides and a prayer room in the front. The access to the oratory, the bases of the walls of the rooms and the central fountain of the patio are still visible.

The minaret is located in the southeast corner of the Muslim religious complex and is over 8 feet wide (2.46 m) and over 27 feet high (8.25 m).

It was initially an ablution room, until it was flooded with groundwater. Many locals believe the eels that live there to be sacred, and that they protect those buried in the necropolis.

The mausoleum houses the remains of Sultan Abdu al Hassan and some of those close to him. Among them are those of his wife, a European woman who converted to Islam to whom a commemorative plaque inside the mausoleum is dedicated.

In addition to the main mausoleum, many important people have been laid to rest in the necropolis, marked with tombstones or small shrines.

Many white storks choose the Chellah Necropolis to breed: there are approximately 75 nests inside the walls and 25 more in its immediate surroundings.

If you want to know more about the city, check out our Rabat Travel Guide.

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About the Author

My name is Rafael Iglesias, and more often than not you can find me in Morocco looking for a beauty that the modern world has almost lost. I take care of corporate branding, visibility and trust online for Feel Morocco.