Ethiopia's cultural north

Why visit Ethiopia's cultural north?

Churches hewn from rock, World Heritage Sites, castles, ancient tombs, art, archaeological artefacts and more ...

The north of Ethiopia hosted the birth of the Axumite empire that ruled trade in northeast Africa for over seven centuries (100BC–700AD). Axum was also one of the first states to adopt Christianity as a religion in the fourth century. Axum, also spelled Aksum, also hosted two Muslim faith migration episodes throughout its history, and was the original home of the Beta Israel community.

Historic journeys in this ancient kingdom included the Queen of Sheba's travels to the wise King Solomon, and the delivery of the Ark of the Covenant by Menelik (son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon), which was delivered after Jerusalem was sacked in 586/587BC and Solomon's temple was destroyed. Axum hosts an impressive collection of ruins, monuments, tombs and archaeological artefacts – including the magnificent stellae, the tombs of King Kaleb and King Gebre Meskel, the legendary palace and baths of the Queen of Sheba and the Ezana Stone (Ethiopia’s Rosetta equivalent).

Gondar is home to the World Heritage Site known as King Fasilides Complex – The Camelot of Africa – with an imposing collection of castles and the unassuming Debre Berhan Selassie (Trinity and Mountain of Light) Church – Ethiopia’s very own Sistine Chapel.

Lalibela, carved from Lasta Mountain, offers four magnificent rock-hewn church complexes – each unique in shape and size. All below ground level, the churches are ringed by trenches, moats, and courtyards and connected by a maze of tunnels and tight alleys.

This region also hosts the Tiss Isat Falls and Bahir Dar on the shores of Lake Tana – one of the long-hidden sources of the Blue Nile. Lake Tana also hosts remains of ancient Ethiopian emperors and treasures of the Ethiopian Church in isolated island monasteries.