Axum
Axum the site of Ethiopia’s most ancient
city, today slum-bears on blissfully unaware of its glorious past. The small
town’s 16th century Cathedral of St Mary of Zion is built on the
site of a much dating from the fourth century AD. Only a platform and the wide
stone steps remain from the earlier structure. The cathedral is a repository of
crowns belonging to some Ethiopian’s former emperors. According to legend, it
also houses the original Ark of the Covenant- thus making St.Mary’s the holiest
sanctuary in Ethiopia
The most striking relics of Axum,
however, are its obelisks or stelae. They are made from single blocks of
granite carved to represent multi story buildings. The tallest, now fallen,
once stood more than 33 meters high and numbered 13 storeys. The highest
obelisk still standing is 10 storeys and 23 meters tall. The carving is deep
and precise, showing the beams for each floor and the windows.
Other local historical sites
included the graves of king Kale and King Gabrmeskel , the bath of Queen of
Sheba and the ruis of the vast Royal Place over which, un-fortunately, the road
to Gondar now passes. The market place has a variety of interesting curios and
ancient coins.
Bahar Dar
Bahar Dar, on the southern shore
of lake Tana, is a center for boating excursions to the lake’s islands and
tissisat Falls the most spectacular waterfall on the blue Nile river. The
nearby monastery of Dek Stefanos contains a priceless collection of icons,
manuscripts and the mummified remains of the three Ethiopian emperors: yikuno
amlak (1268-1283), Zara Yaqob (1434-1468) and Fasiladas(1632-1665). There are
monasteries on 20 other islands and peninsulas along Lake Tana. The nearest to
Bahar Dar are kebran Gabriel, which is forbidden to women, and Ura
Kidanemereth, which contains an impressive treasury of ancient illuminated
Bibles in the Ge’ez scripts. The building is decorated with a number of external
and internal frescoes of religious significance. Bahar Dar is a commercial
center of considerable importance. The large USSR-built Polytechnic Institute
and the Pedagogic Academy sponsored by UNESCO are located here.
Gondar
Gondar was once the capital of
Ethiopia, its prominence beginning with the regn of Emperore Fasiladas in 1632
and ending with fall of Tewodros in 1868. The city’s unique imperial precinct
contains a dozen castles built by various emperors during this 236 years
period. Although the earliest of this castle was built by Fasiladas following
the expulsion of the Portuguese, at first sight the architecture seems to
reflect Moorish-Europian influences. Closer scrutiny however reveals
interesting architectural features following in the Axumite tradition and s
strong affinity with contemporary styles of building in south Arabia. Ras Beit,
a place built in the 18th century as a private residence has been in
continuous use since construction and now serves the local government offices.
A short distance away is the Bath of Fasiladas and the “House of Chickens”.
With easy reach of Gondar lies a
monastery, the ruined place at Kusquam, and the church of Debre Berhan
Sellassie with its unique murals. The town itself has a lively and interesting
marketplace.
Harar
The ancient city of Harar
remained a center of religious fervor from the early days of the Islamic
expansion until 1887, when the authority of the central government was restored
by Emperor Menelik II. With its 99 mosques, Harar is considered to be Islam’s
fourth most holy city.
Sir Richard Burton’s disguised
visit to the city in 1855 nearly cost him his life. He found it more difficult
to evade detection as a non-Muslim in Hara than he had during his journey to
Mecca. The French poet Rimbaud also chose Harar as his city of exile from
French intolerance.
The whole setting of medieval
walls tightly embracing the ancient city, its rich and colorful marketplace,
towering and majestic mountains, and refreshingly cool climate, infuses Harar
with an air of excitement making it a memorable place to visit.
Lalibela
Lalibela, a medieval settlement
in the region of Welo, is the site of elven rock-hewn churches believed to have
been built in the late 12th or early 13th century by King
Lalibela. These remarkable edifices, which were carved inside and outside of
solid rock, are often ranked among the wonders of the world. Each building is
architecturally unique, all are finely carved, and several are decorated with
beautiful paintings that remain well preserved.
During the season of “big rains”
from June to September, this important site is inaccessible. Even during the
dry months, reaching Lalibela is no easy task. The best way to arrive is by
air, followed by a 45 minute drive or three hour mule ride across the eight
kilometers separating Lalibela from the airstrip. A visit to this ancient
setting is particularly worthwhile during the colorful Ethiopia festivals.
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