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It
is in Axum that the Ethiopian
system of writing known as Ge'ez emanated. The Ge'ez alphabet, which has
an amazing 231 letters, is thought to have come with immigrants from
southern
Arabia.
After Axum converted to Christianity, the bible was
translated into Ge'ez from Greek. Although Ge'ez has not been a spoken
language since
about the tenth century, it is still today the liturgical language of
the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Debre Damo -76 km from Axum, is
another
important historic site, especially due to the monastery dating back to
the Axumite era. The monastery is 24 meters down a cliff and is only
accessible by a
safety rope pulley, making it an exciting event on its own. The 9th
century site holds Ethiopia's oldest intact church and has an extensive
collection of
scripts and antique texts of scripture and teachings. On account of
traditional religious reasons, women are not admitted to this site, and
some of the other
monasteries in the country.
At Yeha, you will find the 5th
century BC Temple of the Moon, emanating from a remote age civilization.
The roofless and
windowless temple is built of smooth polished stone, and measures 20
meters long, 15 meters wide and is 10 meters high. Its construction is
of nearly the
same perplexing style and technology as the Egyptian pyramids. Stones of
up to 3 meters long were laid carefully, one upon another, to the
height of a modern
7-storey building without the use of mortar. The temple holds important
Judaic remains and antiques. Yeha is less than 2 hours drive from Axum,
on a road
that takes you through some dramatic highland scenery.
Lalibela,
located south of Axum, was the seat of the Zagwe dynasty that rose
around the 12th
century. Lalibela lies camouflaged against the landscapes dominated by
Mount Abuna Yosef that rises to 4,200 m. The 11 churches of Lalibela
were hewn from
the pink granite bedrock of the Roha Mountain. Credited to King Lalibela
(1185-1225), the rock churches are a sight to behold and are no doubt
one of the
most incredible creations of man in service to God.
It is
reported that King Lalibela's prodigious church building was his effort
to recreate
Jerusalem. Muslims occupied Jerusalem at the time and pilgrimage for
Ethiopian Christians was difficult. The city was initially known as
Roha, but was later
renamed after King Lalibela, the most outstanding of the Zagwes'.
Lalibela is a holy shrine city of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, and it
is the best place
to experience the most colourful Ethiopian church festivals especially
during Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas (Genna), and Epiphany (Timket).
Bete
Giyorgis -the Church of St. George, is a World Heritage Site; it is the
most famous of the Lalibela churches, in addition to being the best
preserved and
having the finest architectural finish. Bete Medhane Alem -House of the
Redeemer of the World, is a replica of the Axumite St. Mary of Zion
cathedral and is
said to be the largest church in the world. Bete Maryam, -House of Mary,
was dedicated to Mary the mother of Christ. In addition to being the
most unique, it
is also the favourite among Lalibela's bethels. Away from Lalibela town,
there are other marvellous houses of worship with equally unique
workmanship.
Despite the devotion of Lalibela, the Zagwes' were
not of the Solomonic line and were seen by puritans as usurpers. When
Yekuno Amlak
rose to office in 1268 after deposing the Zagwe kings, he declared
himself a lineal descendant of King Menelik I -son of Solomon and the
Queen of Sheba, and
thus re-established the Solomon dynasty. Haile Selassie (1930-1974), the
last Ethiopian Negusa Negest - King of Kings or Emperor, also claimed
descent from
King Solomon.
Mekele, located at the north most border of
Ethiopia, is another home to rock-hewn churches and is famous for its
over 200 churches.
It was the capital of Emperor Yohannes IV, who reigned in Tigray between
1871 and 1889. The town was then an important camel caravan transit
stopover and a
thriving trade centre. Today, the emperor's palace has been turned into a
remarkable museum with notable exhibits from the past. Around Tigray,
you can
visit Negash, the site of the first mosque constructed in Ethiopia.
Gondar,
a town on the lower slopes of the Simien Mountains northwest of
Ethiopia, is home to many old-fashioned castles, palaces and beautifully
constructed and decorated churches. Portuguese travellers in the 1520's
had little
to report on Gondar, as it was then a small village without any
distinction. By 1630 however, Gondar was the capital of Ethiopia. Gondar
owes it rise to
Emperor Fasilidas the Great (1632 -1667) and his successors in the
period 1632 to 1855. The city declined thereafter, when Tewodros II
moved his capital to
Debre Tabor. Muslim dervish subsequently looted the capital in 1887.
The
castles were built with the help of Portuguese and other foreign
experts;
an Indian architect designed the most magnificent of them. The
architectural style combines Axumite, medieval European and Arabian
influences. Gondar has a
spectacular view of the Lake Tana farmlands. Within the area you will
also come across the bathing palace of Emperor Fasilidas.
Lake
Tana,
Ethiopia's largest lake is the source of the Blue Nile. The lake is
dotted with 37 islands hosting some enthralling 13th century churches,
monasteries,
monuments and archaeological treasures. Of particular interest, is Dek
Stephanos, which has a treasury of priceless religious icons, and is the
burial place
of several medieval emperors, including Yekuno Amlak and Fasilidas. Once
here, be sure to visit Kebran Gabriel, and Ura Kidane Mehret -which is
renowned for
its colourful frescoes.
Bahir Dar, south of the lake, is the
focal point for touring the Lake Tana region. Visitors enjoy boat
cruises around the
lake, which is also excellent for bird viewing and is a nature lover's
paradise. Make sure to enjoy views of the magnificent Tisisat Falls,
formed as the
Blue Nile cascades down 45 meters, over a river width of 400 m.
Harar
is an amazing and amusing place to tour. This early 16th century
eastern
Ethiopian city was once an important trade centre and is famous for its
ancient Arabic structures, great city walls, and the French poet
Rimbaud's house.
Harar is an Islamic centre with at least 99 mosques, and is considered
to be the fourth holiest Islamic city, after Mecca, Medina and
Jerusalem.
If
the evening finds you in Harar, you may witness a most bizarre spectacle
courtesy of the so-called Hyena Men. With wild howls, these fearless
men summon
hyenas from the hills. They then get the ruthless scavengers to snatch
pieces of meat from their hands or even their mouths!
Still to
the east of
the country, in the Afar region, the banks of Awash River make an
important pre historic and archaeological site. This is where the
hominid 'Lucy', -believed to be the missing link between man and his ape
ancestors was excavated. Recent findings in neighbouring Kenya have
however come to challenge this
position. The local name of the hominid is Dinknesh -meaning "thou art
wonderful".
Lucy is the fun name given to her by the scientists
who
found her, after the Beatles song "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". This
archaeological gem today rests at the Ethiopian National Museum in Addis
Ababa. Many other archaeological treasures have also been found in the
area.
Most overseas visitors will start off from Addis Ababa.
Addis, as the
city is popularly known is Ethiopia's capital city and home to Bole
International Airport. The city rests at the foot of the Entoto
Mountains. By Ethiopian
standards, it is a new settlement and came into being in 1887. Addis
Ababa means New Flower and its foundation is credited to Queen Taitu
-consort to Menelik
II.
In Addis, make sure to visit the Ethnographic Museum and the
National Museum. The Giorgis Cathedral, which was built in 1896 to
commemorate
victory over Italian invaders, is also worth a visit.
The Menelik
Mausoleum at the Ba'ata church, built in 1911, was purposed to be the
tomb of
Emperor Menelik II. It later on served to entomb other emperors, royalty
and martyrs of freedom as well. The Trinity Cathedral is a striking
European style
church erected in 1941 to commemorate Ethiopia's emancipation from
Italian occupation.
Other interesting attractions include:
Merkato -the grand
marketplace, Entoto Mariam -an 1885 basilica that looks out over the
city, Mt. Entoto Museum, the 1896 octagon St. Georges Cathedral, Jubilee
Palace and the
Emperors Palace -both Emperor Haile Selassie's grand palaces, Martyr's
statue -a tribute to the thousands massacred by fascist Italian forces,
and the
Menelik Square, which has an equestrian statue of Menelik II erected
after his victory over the Italians in the battle of Adawa.
Despite
early
contact with the outside world, Ethiopia developed in relative isolation
and was actually once known as the "Hidden Empire". The country was
suspicious of outsiders, and the welcome given to foreign experts in the
building of Gondar was rare in Ethiopian history. European missionaries
were
singularly unsuccessful in converting the locals to the protestant
faith.
The country was never colonised, though it suffered a
brief period of
Italian occupation between 1936 and 1941. Benito Mussolini, the fascist
dictator of Italy, sought to raise his country's prestige by expanding
her domains.
Mussolini saw Ethiopia as a logical candidate for his ambitions for
three reasons: it could easily be consolidated with neighbouring
Eritrea, which was an
Italian colony, it was militarily weak and it was not occupied by
another greater power. To rouse nationalist passions, he portrayed the
invasion as an
avenging mission for the defeat Italy had suffered at the hands of
Ethiopian nationalists in the Italian-Abyssinian War of 1896.
Though
mercifully
short, the Italian period was harsh and cruel, and up to a quarter of a
million Ethiopians are estimated to have perished. At the same time,
Mussolini's
fascist army put to death the monks of Debre Libanos and the Patriarch
of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The country was liberated with the
assistance of the
British, in a sideshow of the Second World War.
True to her
history, Ethiopia lives in her own time. The country still uses the
Julian calendar,
which has 12 months of 30 days each and an additional month of 5 days,
with 6 days in a leap year. Relative to the Gregorian calendar used in
most of the
world, Ethiopia is 7 years behind between 11th September and 8th January
and 8 years for the rest of the year.
You will find good quality Addis Ababa hotels
to suit the budget of most travellers. A few other towns and locations
on the Historical Route and
other tourist attractions also offer reasonable accommodation. Unlike in
other countries that receive many tourists, the budget traveller will
find
accommodation rates to be very reasonable. Due to the relatively
undeveloped tourist infrastructure, the best way to see the country is
by buying a packaged Ethiopia tour, which includes accommodation, meals, guides, and transport logistics.
Help and More Information for Ethiopia!
Planning for a tour of Ethiopia? Contact us
today and we will assist you in
picking and booking the best hotel and
flight, and all your other Ethiopia travel arrangements.
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It
is in Axum that the Ethiopian
system of writing known as Ge'ez emanated. The Ge'ez alphabet, which has
an amazing 231 letters, is thought to have come with immigrants from
southern
Arabia.
