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Volubilis

Volubilis was one of the Roman empires most far flung outposts.  Located in current day Morocco, it was a thriving Roman provincial capital during the 1st to 3rd Centuries, producing wheat and olive oil for export around the Roman Empire.  Rome lost control of the city and surrounding regions late in the 3rd century, however the city probably continued to be inhabited until around the 14th Century when it was finally abandoned.  Since the late 19th Century, both France and Morocco have worked on preservation and restoration (and some reconstruction) of the city and it's now one of the pre-eminent Roman historical sites in North Africa.  It's also a big tourist attraction for visitors to Fes being just 90 minutes drive away.


One of the key attractions are various mosaics, many of which are in amazing condition considering their age.  Most depict various Roman gods and other figures of mythology (like Hercules).  The first mosaic below depicts Orpheus (centre) charming various animals with his harp playing.


The impressive basilica has been partly reconstructed.  Interesting to note the family of storks that have taken up residence on top of one column.  


The central temple dedicated to the Roman gods is on top of the hill facing the basilica.

Also partially reconstructed is the very impressive triumphal arch, originally build to honour the Roman emperor of the time.

Some of the villas and public buildings have very impressive layouts illustrating the relative wealth and importance of Volubilis.

After our excursion to Volubilis we took in a brief drive through visit to the nearby town of Moulay Idriss, a town of great religious significance to Moroccans.  It's location and structure are very impressive built on top of a hill.


We also stopped at Meknes on the way home for a very late lunch and a little more sightseeing.  Meknes has some amazing constructions, particularly the town walls and gates which are extremely impressive.
Elise waiting for lunch to be served at a very cushy table



We arrived back in Fes in the late afternoon.  The day had been tough with lots of scorching direct sun at Volubius, nevertheless it was a extremely interesting excursion.

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