Necropolis of Chella

See also: Chella

The Nécropole of Chella is located on the site of the old city of Salé, to 2 km of the downtown area.

The site of Chella was undoubtedly the oldest human agglomeration with the mouth of the Bou Regreg. The Phéniciens and the Carthaginois, which founded several counters with the Morocco, probably lived the edges of Bou Regreg.

Chella preserves, on the other hand, the vestiges of a city Roman E. The excavations, indeed, revealed the presence of an agglomeration of certain importance; that of the city quoted under the names of Salted by Ptolémée and Sala Colonia in the route of Antonin. The remainders of the Decumanus Maximus, or main road, were released like those of a forum, a monumental fountain, a triumphal arch, etc… The main road of Salted was followed, by surveys carried out in direction of the ancient port on Bou Regreg, port now ensablé. Thus, the Roman city exceeded the enclosure Mérinide in direction of the river.

Chella had been abandoned for several centuries when Mérinides chose this site to build their necropolis there. As the inscription in coufic writing indicates it, which surmounts the main door, work was completed in 1339, under the reign of Abû Al-Hassan `Alî. The occupation of the site was progressive and successive installations led to the realization of sumptuous a necropolis.

Protected by an important enclosure, which one reaches by a monumental door, the necropolis Mérinide contains, in particular, a room of ablutions, a Zaouïa with an oratory, a Minaret avoided Zellige and several funerary rooms in particular that of Aboul Hassan with which the stele, finely decorated, rests under a hood with mouqanas. Later, Abû `Inân Fâris, his/her son, will affect, to maintain the necropolis, the incomes of a bath Mérinide de Rabat, Hammâm ej-Jdîd.

The door of the necropolis is a majestic and warlike door. Powerful, it is flanked of two semi-octagonal bastions with corbellings surmounted by merlons pointed. this door of fortress opens on a small oasis, an haven of peace of ten hectares where the peace of the places is stopped time with other by the slapping of nozzle of the storks. Closed landscape and enchanter, garden with the magic atmosphere where the sanctuary of the founder is with the hollow of a small valley where curves the source of Ain Mdafa.

External bonds

To discover Chellah
Chellah, Old history and photographs
photographs of Chellah

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