LALIBELA
What is there in Lalibela Ethiopia
The rockchurches of Lalibela
On a hight of 2500 metres above sea level in the north-east of Ethiopia, in the difficult reachabel mountains of Lasta we find Lalibela. It is also holy land for Ethiopia's Orthodox Christians. It stands on the third place in historic sequence.
The city was constructed by king Lalibela of the Zague dynasty around the time of the fall of the Axum empire in the 13th century. It was built in order to become the "new Ethiopian Jerusalem" and is characterised by its eleven churches carved out of the pink granite rock of the mountain, in a region where the rugged landscape still protects the churches from mass tourism.
MAKALE
What to see in Makale / Mekkele
Although Lalibela is unique, it is not the sole site of Ethiopia's famous rock-hewn churches. In Tigray near Makale, over 200 fine examples of these monuments to man's devotion to God, as well as his building skills, may be seen and visited.
The capital of the Emperor Yohannes IV (1871-1889), Makale is now the main town of Tigray, the most northern Ethiopian region. The Emperor's palace has been turned into a particularly interesting museum, with many exhibits of his time and subsequent history.
According the mother of Lalibela, the boy was surrounded by bees when she gave birth. That's why she believed that the bees acknowledge his kingship. His brother saw this too and send him to Jeruzalem. When Lalibela came back from the holy land, he gave the order to make the rock churches. During the day the people worked hard to realise the plan, at night the angels came and worked extra hard. All the rock churches were finished in 25 years. The place is later changed from Roha to Lalibela. Till this day Lalibela is an important Pelgrimm place.
The venue for some of the most famous church festivals in Ethiopia, a visit during the great celebrations of Timkat (Epiphany) is very special.
The 11 main churches are found in and around the town of Lalibela. Other churches are reached by a 45 minute drive. Apart from their historic significance they are renowned for their excellent and unique rock-carvings. The art displayed on the rocks dates from the twelfth century and these these is still intact and in great shape. Lalibela is an active pilgrim site.
The entire city may be considered a work of sculpture dedicated to the glory of God. It is has been classified as one of the wonders of the world and is protected by Unesco.
The town is also well known as a transit point for the camel caravans bringing salt up from the arid lands of the Dankal Depression. This makes the market place a particularly interesting place to visit. Interpid visitors can also make excursions into the Danakil to visit some of the Afar nomads that treck across the region.
The Makale museum is very interesting to visit. Also the castle of Ance Johannes IV is very nice to visit. You can see the traditional king clothes, crosses and historical artifacts.
Not far from Lalibela is Na'akuto La'ab, a vertitable jewel of a church built in a cave.
The churches are divided into two groups according to their location with respect to the river Jordan and are connected to each other by narrow underground passages. Each church has its own unique architectural style; all are sculpted and most are decorated with well-preserved paintings.
Wukro Churkos rock church
Ibrahanos Christos out of Lalibela, 90 km.
The rock church of Lalibela, Saint George church
Lalibela is a holy heritage, build by angels.
After the decline of the Axumite empire, lamenting their lost grandeur, Ethiopias rulers retreated with their Christian subjects to the lofty escarpment of the central uplands. There, protected by mountain battlements more formidable than anything the hand of man could fashion, they were able to repel an increasingly expansionist and militant Islam trapping and confusing their enemies in the precipitous maze of valleys that intersects the high plateau. Inevitably, a fortress mentality took root: an intense suspicion of the motives of strangers, a hatred of intrusion and interference, a protective secrecy. During this period roughly from the seventh to the sixteenth centuries AD - the Ethiopians, encompassed by the enemies of their religion, were described by the British historian Edward Gibbon as having slept for near a thousand years, forgetful of the world by whom they were forgotten. It is true, moreover, that in holding back those who sought to destroy their faith, the highlanders also effectively cut themselves off from the evolving mainstream of Christian culture. This is the only sense, however, in which they slept. Their unique, idiosyncratic civilization was otherwise very much awake - a singular and spirited affirmation of the creative power of the human intellect.
