© Fr Maxim Massalitin

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The Chellah is a medieval fortified Muslim necropolis located in the metro area of Rabat, left side of the Bou Regreg estuary.The Phoenicians established a trading emporium at the site and called it "Sala. This was later the site of the ancient Roman colony of "Sala Colonia", in the Roman province of Mauretania Tingitana.UNESCO World Heritage Site

Mostly abandoned during the Almohad era, then rebuilt by the Marinids in the 13th century. The ruins of their medieval fortress are still extant. The Berber Almohads used the site as a royal burial ground. The Marinids made the site a holy necropolis, or chellah, and built a complex that included mosque, minaret, and royal tombs. UNESCO World Heritage Site

The Phoenicians were the first to settle on this sloping site above the Bou Regreg river, and the Romans took control in about AD 40, renaming the settlement Sala Colonia. Scattered stones from their city remain, but give little idea of its size or form.

© Sidney

© Davide Cesare Veniani Part of the interior of the walled Chellah complex

A group of storks have taken over the ruins. They’ve built nests on top of the prayer tower and on any tall structures: trees, crumbling walls, etc. Ruins of Chellah have become a stork’s paradise© Sidney

Abandoned in 1154, Sala Colonia lay deserted until the 14th century, when Merenid sultan Abou al-Hassan Ali built a necropolis on top of the Roman site and surrounded it with the defensive wall that stands today

Washingtonia at Chellah, the medieval fortified Muslim necropolis

Marabout Tomb at the Chellah Necropolis. These structures were built for holy men who were encouraged to pray and study beside the royal necropolis

Muslim necropolis

© UNESCO

The tomb of the Maranid ruler, Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman, known as the Black Sultan

The tomb of the Maranid ruler, Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman, known as the Black Sultan

Internet The tomb of the Maranid ruler, Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Othman, known as the Black Sultan

Brugmansia (Angel's trumpets)

The Bassin aux AnguillesThe pond of the eels which, according to the legend, gives fertility to the women throwing eggshells or coins. The pond is fed by a spring where, says the legend, would live a fish in golden scales

Internet

In this quiet spot, childless women come and feed hard-boiled eggs to the grey eels that inhabit the pond, in the hope that ancient magic will one day bring them the gift of a son or daughter

Ruins of a medieval mosque built by Abu Yusuf Yakub, the first sultan of Marinid, (who is buried at the site)

Red Ginger Alpinia Purpurata

Cellah gardensChella is situated

on the left bank of the Bou Regreg,

four kilometres from the Atlantic

coast

Plumbago auriculata (common names blue plumbago, Cape plumbago or Cape leadwort)

Plumbago auriculata (native to South Africa)

The site has been converted to

a garden and tourist venue

Cellah ruins

Cellah ruins

Text: InternetPictures: Sanda Foişoreanu Sanda Negruțiu InternetCopyright: All the images belong to their authors

Presentation: Sanda Foişoreanuhttps://plus.google.com/+SandaMichaela

Sound: Moroccan music 2016