Celebrated by UNESCO as “an exceptionally well-preserved example of a large Roman town on the fringes of the Empire,” Volubilis occupies a unique place in Morocco’s cultural history. Founded in the first century AD and successively inhabited by Phoenician, Berber and Islamic communities, the site is defined by the close relationship between its Roman city and an adjacent early Islamic settlement.
A layered landscape
Set at the foot of the Jbel Zerhoun mountain, Volubilis is renowned for monumental Roman remains including the Arch of Caracalla, the Capitoline Temple, and the Tingis Gate, alongside rich mosaics and bronze statuary. Immediately to the west lies the Islamic settlement, founded by the Syrian Imam Idris I around 800 AD, when Berber communities occupied the former Roman town. The Islamic quarter was eventually abandoned and buried beneath windblown debris following the 1775 Lisbon earthquake.
Client: Royaume du Maroc, Ministère des Affaires Culturelles, Morocco, UCL, London
Dates: 1998—2006
Architect:
John McAslan + Partners
Consultants
Arup
Research, conservation and collaboration
JMP’s involvement grew from an initial visit to Volubilis in 2000, which led to a unique collaboration between University College London and the Moroccan Institut National des Sciences de l’Archéologie et du Patrimoine (INSAP). The project combined an archaeological research programme focused on revealing the Islamic quarter with a restorative masterplan for the entire World Heritage Site, alongside proposals for a new interpretive centre and research facilities, later developed by the Moroccan team.
Central to the initiative was the preparation of a comprehensive conservation management plan, balancing the protection of fragile historic fabric with the needs of 200,000 annual visitors. Funding was secured through the Volubilis Foundation, established with Moroccan philanthropist Rita Benes. Led by archaeologist Lisa Fentress with colleagues Gaetano Palumbo and Hassan Limane, the ongoing 20-year programme has yielded major discoveries, including the remains of Idris I’s headquarters, fundamentally reshaping understanding of the site’s history.
