Fasiladas Bath
Around 2km northwest of the piazza lies Fasiladas’ Bath, which has been attributed to both Fasiladas and Iyasu I. The large rectangular pool is overlooked by a charming building, thought by some to be a vacation home. It’s a beautiful and peaceful spot, where snakelike tree roots d
Bet Maryam
Connected to Bet Medhane Alem by a tunnel is a large courtyard containing three churches. The first, Bet Maryam, is small, yet designed and decorated to an exceptionally high standard. It’s the only church with porches extending off it. Dedicated to the Virgin, who’s particularly v
Hayzo
This is one of the few Southern Nations’ villages that has succeeded in turning the influx of tourists into a positive experience for all concerned. You can see the traditional way of life with few hassles from begging kids and no need to pay for photos. Guides are mandatory and c
Debre Berhan Selassie
If it weren’t for a swarm of bees, the beautiful church of Debre Berhan Selassie would have probably been destroyed like most of Gonder’s other churches by the marauding Sudanese Dervishes in the 1880s. When the Dervishes showed up outside the gates of the church, a giant swarm of
Mago National Park
Although by Ethiopian standards wildlife is fairly abundant in this dramatically beautiful 2162-sq-km park , there’s no chance of an East African safari–style experience. Poaching remains a problem and the thick acacia woodland dominating the plains makes seeing what wildlife remai
Rock
Lalibela’s rock-hewn churches , all built below ground level, aren’t just carved into the rock but freed from it. And the carving, both inside and out, is exceptionally refined. Although time has treated most with gentle gloves, Unesco has built protective roofing. Fortunately, des
Empress Mentewab’s Kuskuam Complex
It might not be as well-preserved as the Royal Enclosure or as sacred as Debre Berhan Selassie, but what this royal compound, known as Kuskuam, lacks in order and holiness it more than makes up for in melancholy. The complex was built in 1730 for the redoubtable Empress Mentewab, a
Holy Trinity Cathedral
Off Niger St, this massive and ornate cathedral is the second-most important place of worship in Ethiopia (ranking behind the Old Church of St Mary of Zion in Aksum). It’s also the celebrated final resting place of Emperor Haile Selassie and his wife Empress Menen Asfaw. Their mass
Tombs of Kings Kaleb & Gebre Meskel
Set on a small hill 1.8km northeast of the Northern Stelae Field and offering views of the jagged mountains of Adwa, local tradition attributes these two tombs to the 6th-century King Kaleb and his son, King Gebre Meskel.Although the twin tombs’ architecture resembles the Tomb of t
National Museum
The collection on show at the National Museum is ranked among the most important in sub-Saharan Africa, but sadly many of its exhibits are poorly labelled, lit and displayed, particularly in the upper levels of the museum.The palaeontology exhibit on the basement level contains fos
St Mary of Zion Churches
Though religions have come and gone, Aksum remains a holy city throughout. Opposite the Northern Stelae Field, in a walled compound, lies the centre of the universe for Christian Ethiopians.A church of some form or other has stood at this spot since the very earliest days of Ethiop
Northern Stelae Field
Despite the dizzying grandeur of the numerous rock needles reaching for the stars, it’s what’s under your feet here that’s most important. Amazingly, about 90% of the field hasn’t yet been dug, so no matter where you walk, there’s a good chance there’s an undiscovered tomb with unt
Royal Enclosure
The Gonder of yesteryear was a city of extreme brutality and immense wealth. Today the wealth and brutality are gone, but the memories linger in this amazing World Heritage Site. The entire 70,000-sq-metre compound containing numerous castles and palaces has been restored with the
Red Terror Martyrs Memorial Museum
‘As if I bore them all in one night, They slew them in a single night.’ These were the words spoken by the mother, whose four teenage children were all killed on the same day by the Derg, who officially opened the small but powerful ‘Red Terror’ Martyrs Memorial Museum in 2010. Ove
St George Cathedral & Museum
Commissioned by Emperor Menelik II to commemorate his stunning 1896 defeat of the Italians in Adwa, and dedicated to St George (Ethiopia’s patron saint), whose icon was carried into the battle, this Piazza cathedral was completed in 1911 with the help of Greek, Armenian and Indian
Ethnological Museum
Set within Haile Selassie’s former palace and surrounded by the beautiful gardens and fountains of Addis Ababa University’s main campus is the enthralling Ethnological Museum. Even if you’re not normally a museum fan, this one is worth a bit of your time – it’s easily one of the fi
Doing business & staying in touch while in Ethiopia
Ethiopia: Doing business & staying in touch
Ethiopia Weather, Climate and Geography
Ethiopia Weather, climate and geography
Ethiopia History, Language and Culture
Ethiopia History, Language and Culture
Ethiopia Travel Guide and Travel Information
Ethiopia Travel Guide
