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Timket & Omo Valley (Jan.18-28)
Join our Timket Tour which is
a very colorful & greatest celebration. And then travel to the Omo Valley, where you meet so many tribes. ...more
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| Historical Attractions in Ethiopia |
Ethiopia's history traces back to
3,000 years to the time of Queen of Sheba. It is old beyond ones imagination.
Axum, Lalibela, Gondar, Bahir Dar, and Harar are among the leading historical attractions.
Axum
Axum was the capital of Ethiopia for about 10 centuries.
It was among the four powerful kingdoms of the world during the 1st and 6th centuries.
The giant Monolithic Stele of Axum,hewn
from a single granite rock during the 2nd century,
are incredible.Among them the largest one measures
33 meters and fell down for unkown reason.The
other,still standing, measures 23 meteres
from the earth.
In 326 A.D.,King Ezana accepted
christianity officially and constructed the first church on the
land of Africa in Axum.The original Ark
of the Covenant which
is brought by Emperor Menelik I, the son
of Queen of Sheba & King Solomon of
Israel,resides in the chapel next to St. Mary of Zion Church.
Lasta, Lalibela
In the 11th century, power transferred from Axum to Lasta, Roha,
with a different dynasty called Zagwe. 
Roha became the capital for about three centuries.
The 11 rock-hewn churches
of Lalibela, that
were carved out from a single rock by king
Lalibela (1181-1221) during the 13th century are magnificent.
Lasta was the seat for the famous Prester John who was a king and a priest during the 12th century.
Gondar
After the restoration of the Solomonic dynasty, Gondar became the permanent seat for the Kings
of Ethiopia for about 200 years. The 17th and 18th century castles of Gondar,considered
as the camelot of Africa,are one of the eight UNESCO
world heritage sites.
King Fasilades
(1636-67) poineered the
construction of these castles after controling power
from his father. For the first time in Ethiopian history, the
Gondarians used lime as a plaster for their construction.
Bahir Dar & Lake Tana
Lake Tana,the
largest crater lake in Ethiopia, is full of island Monasteries and Churches.
Most of the churches are very old, dating
back to the 13th century. They have wealthy collections
such as old crowns made of gold and silver, original wall
paintings on a canvas which has Ethiopian style, old books (Parchments) made of goat skin, crosses and other church materials.
Harar
The old walled city of Harar is known for
its colorful market and the scene of hyena
feeding.Harar is the fourth
holiest place in Islam. There are about 99
Shrines and mosques.The town is encircled by
walls with main five gates from different directions.
The customs and living style of the Harari people is among the attractions in Harar.
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