You are here
Home > morocco > Chellah Necropolis (Sala Colonia), Rabat, Morocco

Chellah Necropolis (Sala Colonia), Rabat, Morocco

“Have we come to the right place?”

It was a question born out of bewilderment. No tour bus as far as the eye could see. No importunate guides jumping at us with paws up. And the city’s buzz sounded muffled from where we were standing even though our cab ride from Rabat’s center took only a few minutes.

chellah1

We trudged toward the magnificent gate with hesitance. The absenteeism of tourist hordes led us to the speculation that the driver delivered us to the wrong destination. I looked up at the Moorish arch that marks the entrance. It reminded us of Bab Oudaia, which we visited earlier that morning. Such an impressive sight. Somehow it indicated, this is where we we’re supposed to be.

chellah2

The admission fee, an incredibly cheap ten dirhams (about $1.20), is all a visitor has to pay. Fancy audio guides are nonexistent, and human ones come by only at certain times of the day. Apparently, noon’s not one of them. Usually, the presence of tour guides peddling their service makes us sprint to the opposite direction. But for a place like Chellah, where info signs are nil, we longed for one.

chellah9

The noise of civilization faded out all the more as we stepped deeper inside the historical site, and was replaced by the constant clacking of storks’ beaks. Man, were there heaps of storks throughout the expanse. Either flying about, or idly sitting in their respective nests. They barely noticed us.

We let our toddler Luna run free.

chellah4

Chellah was the site of ancient Roman city named Sala Colonia, as evidenced by a few key Roman architectural elements. Before the Romans took reign of the area in 40 AD, the Phoenicians were believed to have inhabited the banks above Bou Regreg river. In the 12th century, the Romans left the city and moved to Salé.

chellah5

A necropolis was built on the same site in the 14th century under the reign of Marinid sultan Abou al-Hassan. He also added a mosque and a fortification wall. The Islamic complex is easily recognized, thanks to its still-standing minaret which is now home to — you guessed it right — a family of storks.

chellah6

Chellah’s crumbling ruins ain’t an Angkor Wat. It ain’t a Machu Picchu either. But you see, its charm lies in its sorry state. The structures’ undiscerning features can flirt with one’s imagination.

chellah7

It’s a place that is not masked with heavy makeup. Devoid of facilities that beg for a tourist’s approval. No souvenir shops, no posh cafes with a view. Chellah may seem like an underdog in Morocco’s tourism arena, but it has potential in becoming one of the frontrunners.

At least for a crowd like us who sees beauty in the forgotten.

chellah8

Round-The-World 2011-2012, Morocco Leg: 

Photo Essay: Kasbah Des Oudaias And Le Tour Hassan, Rabat. Mexico
Hassan II Mosque, Casablanca, Morocco: A Persian’s Birthday

ShareTweet

This page was viewed times.

Gay Mitra
When not backpacking, she teaches her daughter sight words and belly dancing (even if she's not good at it). She's currently eating her way around some hippie town in Australia. She loves talking about herself in the third person.

7 thoughts on “Chellah Necropolis (Sala Colonia), Rabat, Morocco

  1. A great piece you have here Ate! I’ve been to famous ruins and sometimes I wish I could find serenity to absorb the faded history behind the beautiful, but sometimes bleak, ancient historical sites without all the noise from the buzzing tourists. Sometimes we choose to neglect this kind of historical venues, the infamous ones. Only those with the eyes and heart could truly see the beauty it holds. I am looking forward on my visit at some point, morocco sounded so beautiful from your fine descriptions!

  2. My words and photos don’t do justice. Morocco is simply breathtaking! How I’d love to visit again. Hope you do too someday.

  3. We were there late February to early March. So the weather’s still pleasant. When are you going back to UK anyway?

Leave a Reply

Top