Volubilis
وليلي
The best-preserved ancient Roman city ruins in Morocco, featuring a triumphal arch, a basilica and many mosaic floors still in their original positions. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Volubilis lies about 30 kilometres north of Meknes, amid olive groves and wheat fields. The city was founded in the 3rd century BCE by the Kingdom of Mauretania and became an important city at the southwestern edge of the Roman Empire from the 1st century CE onward. It grew wealthy from the olive oil trade. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The ruins include the Arch of Caracalla, the Basilica, the Temple of Jupiter and the Decumanus Maximus. The most remarkable features are the mosaic floors that remain in place in aristocratic residences. Themes include the House of Orpheus, Dionysus and the Four Seasons, and the Labours of Hercules. Their colours and composition remain remarkably clear. Admission costs about 70 dirhams, and a small museum sits at the entrance. Getting there: a private car from Fez takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Most visitors combine a day trip to Volubilis with Meknes, including Bab Mansour and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail, and the nearby holy town of Moulay Idriss. The site is entirely open-air, so bring a hat and water.
Opening hours
08:30–18:00 (winter closes earlier, at 17:30)
Nearby sights
- Moulay Idriss Zerhoun
- Bab Berdaine
- Bou Inania Madrasa (Meknes)
- Dar Jamaï Museum
- Place El Hedim & Meknes Medina
- Bab Mansour (Meknes)
- Qara Prison & Koubba el-Khayatine
- Mausoleum of Moulay Ismail