01Historic
The Merinid Gate
The grand fortified entrance, built in 1339 under the Merinid sultan Abu al-Hasan, flanked by two bastion towers. Its ochre stone and horseshoe arch set the tone for the layered ruins beyond.
Rabat, MoroccoConcierge · 7 Days · 9–21H GMT+1
Things to do · Rabat
Things to do in Rabat
On a green hillside just outside Rabat's walls, Chellah is the capital's most atmospheric site — a walled garden where a Roman port town and a 14th-century Merinid royal necropolis lie tangled together, watched over by nesting storks. It is quiet, shaded and unhurried, the kind of place you linger longer than planned. Here is what to find inside the gates.
8 experiences
The best of Rabat
02Historic
Roman Sala Colonia
The lower terrace preserves the forum, baths, a triumphal arch and the main street of Sala Colonia, a Roman town that flourished here from the 1st century. Excavated foundations trace its civic centre among wildflowers.
03Historic
Merinid Necropolis
Above the Roman ruins stand the 14th-century royal tombs, mosque and zawiya the Merinids raised over the abandoned town, including the resting place of Abu al-Hasan and his wife Shams ed-Duna.
04Culture
The Minaret & Storks
The ruined minaret of the Merinid mosque, faced with green and blue zellij, is crowned almost year-round by a vast stork's nest. Dozens of storks wheel and clatter above the site, an emblem of Chellah.
05Gardens
The Sacred Pool
A spring-fed basin near the zawiya, long associated with local folklore and once visited by women seeking blessings. Eels are still fed in its waters, and the spot is one of the garden's most peaceful corners.
06Gardens
Terraced Gardens
Bananas, figs, oranges and tangles of bougainvillea have grown up through the ruins, turning Chellah into a wild walled garden. Paths wind between fallen columns and flowering shrubs down toward the river valley.
07Coast
Bou Regreg Valley View
From the lower ramparts the ground falls away toward the Bou Regreg's marshes and market gardens, a green band rare so close to a capital city and rich in birdlife.
08Culture
Late-Afternoon Light
Chellah is at its best in the last hours before closing, when low sun warms the ochre stone, the storks settle and the gardens empty. It is widely considered Rabat's most photogenic site.
Frequently asked
What is the Chellah in Rabat?
Chellah is a walled archaeological site just outside Rabat's medina where the Roman town of Sala Colonia and a 14th-century Merinid royal necropolis sit together amid gardens, ruins and nesting storks.
Is there an entrance fee for Chellah?
Yes. Chellah charges a modest admission ticket. It is open daily, and late afternoon — an hour or two before closing — offers the best light and the quietest atmosphere.
How far is Chellah from central Rabat?
It sits just southeast of the medina and city centre, only a few kilometres away — a short taxi ride or a walk of around 30 minutes from the Hassan Tower.
How long do you need at Chellah?
Allow about an hour to take in the Merinid gate, the Roman forum, the necropolis, the stork-topped minaret and the gardens. Photographers and birdwatchers often stay longer.
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