Morocco Trip

Morocco is a great place to visit and it has many adventurous and amazing places to visit. Morocco trip is considered as best trip if you enjoy the trip with informative travel guide who give you full knowledge about the country. The walls of Chella are one of the amazing places to see in Morocco.

the fortification walls of Chella

The fortification walls of Chella is among the features that many tourists who travel to Morocco have to admire The walls of Chella were built by Sultan Abu Said who ruled from 1310 till 1331 and died before completing the construction work of the fortification of the necropolis which was finished by his inheritor Sultan Abu El Hassan in 1339 AD.

The walls of Chella are quite remarkable being more than 20 meters high in some parts. Sultan Abu Said was inspired by the Roman style of architecture when he drew up the plan of the walls of Chella as it looks quite similar to the more ancient walls of Sala Colonia.  This rare architectural design, consisting of a five sided polygon stands out as a unique piece of Marinid constructions.

These fortification walls of Chella were traditionally erected using red stones, as many buildings erected by the Marinid in the region. One of the most remarkable features of the walls of Chella is the twenty control towers that are spread among the walls.

A sign at the entrance of the fortification walls of Chella indicate that this necropolis has been first established by Sultan Abu Yusuf Yaqub in 1284 to burry the bodies of the royal family of the Marinid after their death. Yaqub has erected a mosque nearby as well and some historians believe that the first person to be buried in this necropolis was the wife of Sultan Yaqub
The son of Abu Yusuf Yaqub, after the death of his father, has added an Islamic school to the North of the mosque, a public toilet, erected domes, and enlarged the whole necropolis.

 Description of Chella

The historical site of Chella has four entrances today; three minor entry points and one remarkable portal located at the Northern section of Chella.

Most of the sections of Chella nowadays consist of numerous beautiful parterres with some Roman or Marinid monuments here and there. Many Morocco private tours include a visit to Chella with its ancient necropolis.

One of the most remarkable characteristics of Chella is the water channels that are spread between the magnificent gardens that are fed by a number of natural springs supplying the city with fresh water. Since most of the gardens of Chella are unattended, many wild and natural plants and flowers have grown all around this ancient city that serves nowadays as a park for tourists who visit Morocco and for the locals themselves as well.

 The Necropolis of Chella

The necropolis of Chella, which was mainly established by the Marinid, is stretched over a surface area of around 2000 kilometers square occupying less than 4% of the whole area of the Chella Park today. The necropolis is situated near the Southern walls of Chella.

As mentioned before, since this historical site has been inhabited and deserted many times throughout its long history, most of the details of the Marinid Necropolis in Chella has been destroyed and vanished with time passing by. Fortunately for travelers who go on Morocco tours and who come from all over the world to observe the greatness of this ancient site, some of the characteristics of the necropolis are still in a good shape for the guests to view.

One of the most wonderful tombs in the Necropolis of Chella is that of Sultan Abu Al Hassan. The exterior design of the tomb contains small columns that support three arches that have some more small columns on top of them combining a marvelous piece of architectural art that looks similar to the design of the Abu Al Hassan Mosque located near by inside Chella.

The architecture of the necropolis of Chella was strongly inspired by the construction work of Almohad dynasty which travelers can view in many deserted structures situated near Rabat, the Moroccan capital.

Historians asserted that the necropolis of Chella has remained intact for hundreds of years until the famous earthquake of Lisbon hit the whole region in 1775 destroying the whole necropolis and leaving behind some small details to be observed by history and culture fans who visit Morocco.

However, the historical site of Chella including structures built by the Marinid, many fabulous gardens, and some ruins belonging to the Roman era is still a popular destination for travelers who come to trips in Morocco

Chella Today

The Moroccan ministry of Culture gives especial attention to this ancient historical site that has been transformed into a park. Restoration and Maintenancework are implemented regularly in Chella knowing how important this ancient site is for many travelers who love to spend a trip in Morocco.

Beside many Morocco tour companies who set up trips to Chella every day, the park attracts many Moroccan schools to organize trips for their students to this amazing historical site. Usually the trip is accompanied by an interesting demonstration and interpretation of the history of this ancient necropolis.

The ablution section in the mosque has afterwards been transformed into a small lake. Many visitors from all around the world, especially children, enjoy throwing coins inside this lake believing that can make their wishes come true. The legends say that young women who wanted to get married used to come, throw coins inside this pond, and then their dreams came true.

The gardens and water canals of Chella has inspired many artists to visit the park and draw marvelous paintings. Moreover, many movie directors have chosen Chella to shoot their films and there are many Arabic Dramas that were filmed in the ancient city of Chella.

During the past few years, Chella has become the haven for Moroccans and tourists as well. Locals usually visit Chella on a Friday afternoon to enjoy the beauty of the place and have a good time with the family and friends

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