The story

The site of Chellah is also of remarkable historical interest due to its hypothetical Phoenician passage before Roman times.
Although some scholars have expressed doubts in the absence of Phoenician artifacts discovered there, other experts continue to support the presence of this ancient civilization in the area. Since the Phoenicians were navigators and maritime traders, it is plausible that they may have explored Chellah for commercial purposes, exploration, or the establishment of temporary trading posts without leaving any permanent tangible traces.
Future archaeological excavations could shed light on this historical mystery and enrich our understanding of the region’s ancient past.

During the period between the Phoenician passage and the arrival of the Romans, Chellah underwent significant transformations as a local trading center.
At that time, the site was occupied by a thriving Mauritanian city, the remains of which reveal elegant architecture and a well-established trade network. The Mauritanian city of Chellah was a prosperous trading center, attracting merchants from different parts of the Mediterranean. In the most recent archaeological excavations, discoveries of rare importance have emerged, including the discovery of remains closely associated with the era of King Ptolemy’s reign.
This discovery not only revealed never-before-seen aspects of the complex history, but it also shed light on the close trade ties between Chellah and the kingdoms of North Africa as well as those of the Mediterranean basin.

The Roman period at Chellah, which extends from the third century B.C. in the fifth century A.D., is a crucial period in the history of this archaeological site.
With the arrival of the Romans, the Mauritanian city was integrated under their authority under the name “Sala Colonia”, thus contributing to the diversity and cultural richness of the site throughout its history.
The Romans transformed the place with imposing fortifications, baths, temples and dwellings, creating a vital center that was rich in commercial activity and cultural flourishing in those bygone days.
Archaeological excavations have revealed an impressive monumental district comprising several major public buildings: three Mauritanian temples, a forum, a capitol, a basilica, a curia, a nymphaeum, a triumphal arch and thermal baths.
The Roman period has left Chellah with a valuable archaeological legacy. The Latin remains and inscriptions from this period are a fundamental part of this archaeological heritage.
This period is a testament to the influence and lasting imprint of the Roman Empire in this region. These architectural and cultural marks are of great importance, scrutinized and analyzed by archaeologists and researchers in order to deepen the knowledge of the history of this site and the surrounding region.

The Islamic period in Chellah, which spans from the 13th to the 15th centuries, is associated with the Marinid dynasty, an Amazigh dynasty that ruled Morocco at that time.
The Marinids ruled Morocco from 1269 to 1465. Chellah was an important site for this dynasty, serving both as a royal necropolis and as a place for the preservation of cultural and religious heritage.
In the Marinid period. Members of the dynasty, including sultans and influential figures, were buried in richly decorated mausoleums within the Chellah.
The monuments built during the Marinid period at Chellah feature Islamic architecture characteristic of the period, with pointed arches, Kufic scripts, geometric patterns, and arabesques. These elements testify to the importance of Islamic art in the region.
The Marinid dynasty played a key role in preserving the cultural and religious heritage of the Chellah. Numerous religious and artistic inscriptions have been added to the mausoleums, contributing to the cultural richness of the site.

From the second half of 14TH Century, the Chellah began to disappear, and kept only a blurred memory of the sacred image of past centuries.
Chellah, a rest camp for fighters for the faith, has become the cemetery of saints, pious men and notables, and has even been elevated to the rank of Mecca. For a long time, many poor people had been going there to perform the tawaf around the sacred mihrab of the small oratory of the madrasah.
From the 19th century onwards, the south-west hill became the site of marabouts housing the mortal remains of several saints. Sidi Lahcen al-Imam, Sidi Yahya Ben Younus whose dome was built by Sultan Moulay Abderrahmane Ben Hicham, Sidi Amer al-Masnaoui, Lalla Sanhaja, Lalla Regraga and Lalla Chama are known. On the biography of these saints, the popular imagination has forged a background of rites of propitiation and expulsion of evil. The great gate of Chellah has become the de facto gate of Sidi Yahya.
Since 1920, the archaeological site of Chellah has been classified as a historical monument by the Dahir of 19 November 1920.
Since 2012, the Chellah site has been one of the eight components under which the city of Rabat has been inscribed “Rabat, modern capital and historic city: a shared heritage” on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Recently, the archaeological site of Chellah has been enhanced thanks to restoration and development work, carried out as part of the Rabat City of Light Moroccan Capital of Culture program (2014-2018) launched by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him.
In 2023, excavation and archaeological survey work carried out by the National Institute of Archaeology and Heritage Sciences, in the area to the east and south-east of the Marinid Wall, an area that has remained completely unknown since the 1960s and has not benefited from any archaeological intervention, revealed the extent and limits of the Mauritanian-Roman city of Sala, to identify the defensive system and to locate the ancient port of the city and other very important and unexpected discoveries.