After another superb breakfast we said farewell to Dar Meziana and with the manager’s assistance took our luggage back down the blue alleyways to find our van and Chahine waiting for us. At breakfast in our tiny hotel we chatted with a couple of about our age from Cygnet in Tasmania! They were about to embark on a three day hike in the Rif mountains.
Mohammed (Manager) in dining area, Dar Meziana Riad
We loaded our luggage into Chahine’s van and headed southwards, retracing the road through Ouezzane we’d come to Chefchaouen on two days ago.
Once at Souk el Arba we followed the road through Sidi Kacem towards Meknes. The area we passed through is a very extensive and rich agricultural region with grain crops (wheat and barley) being the main produce. The hilly regions are typically olive groves whereas the plains have rich alluvial soils and have become the main grain production zone for Morocco.
Farmland en route to Meknes,
About fifteen kilometres south of Sidi Slimane we turned off the main road and drove a small distance to a parking area at Volubilis.
Our first sighting of Volubilis Roman ruins
Founded in the third century BC, Volubilis was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Mauretania. Mauretania was annexed by the Romans in AD 45 and subsequently became one of the most important cities in the province of Mauretania Tingitana.
Volubilis Roman ruins
Volubilis Roman ruins
Volubilis Roman ruins
During its heyday under the Romans, Volubilis was an affluent city and this extensive archeological site has some of the finest Roman ruins in Morocco.
Our guide showed us around the ruins and we could imagine from his descriptions the splendour that existed. The remains that were most striking included the 2nd century forum, the basilica, the triumphal arch and the town houses paved with extraordinarily well preserved and colourful mosaics.
Basilica, Volubilis Roman ruins
Triumphal Arch, Volubilis Roman ruins
Volubilis Roman ruins
Decumanus maximus (Three Arches), Volubilis Roman ruins
Volubilis Roman ruins
The site also includes baths, oil presses, bakeries, aqueducts, shops and many standing tall columns with Roman carved capitals. One intriguing artefact we identified was an ancient sun-dial near the Basilica.
Sun dial, Volubilis Roman ruins
After Rome withdrew from Mauretania in the 3rd century, the city declined and in 788 AD became an Islamic settlement under Idriss I. By the 11th century Volubilis was abandoned as the seat of power had now transferred to Fès.
Many of the ancient ruins were badly damaged during a major earthquake in 1755. Excavations and restoration began in the late 19th century and is continuing today with extensive areas of the old city yet to be explored.
Volubilis Roman ruins
Our relatively short visit to Volubilis was certainly the highlight of the day but as it was early afternoon we were forced to move on the Meknes.
This modern day city of around one million people was just a small settlement until the reign of Moulay Ismail began in 1672. From that time on, Meknes was to rise to the rank of an imperial city. The sultan ordered the building of fortress walls, gates, ramparts, mosques and palaces and this ambitious building programme continued throughout his reign and involved robbing from the ruins of Volubilis.
View over Meknes
Meknes is now a dynamic city being the economic centre of an extensive agricultural region renowned for its produce of olives, grain, wine and vegetables. It is now classified as a UNESCO world heritage site.
Our visit to Meknes gave us the opportunity to see the imperial city protected by three stretches of incredibly impressive walls several kilometres long. The medina has the appearance of a sturdy fortress protected by high and thick walls and imposing gates.
Gate to Imperial City, Meknes
Inside Imperial City, Meknes
Inside Imperial City, Meknes
Royal Palace, Fès
Our final destination for the day was Fès (or Fèz) forty or so kilometres north-east of Meknes. We visited the palace square and viewed the magnificent seven doors to the palace grounds and then we had a brief visit to a pottery factory that specialised in ceramic and mosaic tiles.
View from the Fortress, Fès,
Craftsmen at work in the pottery factory. Fès
At this stage we decided we’d had enough sight-seeing for the day and headed for our accommodation at Riad el Medina.
To end the day we had dinner at a nearby hotel where apparently we’ll be staying tomorrow night.