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ETHIOPIA
Location - North East Africa; Capital - Addis Ababa; Population - 78 million; Currency - Ethiopia Birr MORE ETHIOPIA
I spent 4 weeks in Ethiopia and Djibouti in the Winter of 2006, flying to Addis Ababa.
10 Ethiopian Birr
Walking towards the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Addis Ababa. The body of Haile Selassie was reburied here in 2000 in a procession that included Bob Marley's widow.
Click here for more about Tafari Makonnen, who became the Emperor Haile Selassie.
The Holy Trinity, or Kiddist Selassie Cathedral - Addis Ababa
The grounds of Addis Ababa University
A chance to see how green and mountainous parts of northern Ethiopia really are, from the flight to Axum
Shops along the main street in Axum (also known as Aksum), northern Ethiopia
Waiting for the boss to eat lunch - Axum
Axum is known for its ancient granite stelae, built in honour of the various kings of the Axumite Empire around 300-500 AD
Currently the tallest erect stele at 23 metres, it is accredited to King Ezana - Axum
Sitting at the base of the stele, built from a single block of granite - Axum
Read more on the Axumite Empire here
For more about the Axum stelae, click here
This collapsed stele is the largest in Axum, which would measure over 33 metres if standing.
The St Mary of Zion church is in the background, left
Paintings of a black and white Virgin Mary in the Fasilidas church, St Mary of Zion compound, Axum
The building where the elusive Ark of the Covenant is said to be housed is in the same complex as the St Mary of Zion church - you won't get much closer than this! Axum
The Ark of the Covenant contains the Ten Commandments - Axum
A history of the church of St Mary of Zion here
Read more about the Ark of the Covenant here
An investigation into the whereabouts of the Ark of the Covenant
A lovely family make Ethiopian coffee the traditional way in their home in Axum
More of the family - brother and sister in Axum
On the outskirts of Axum is a site known as the Queen of Sheba's Palace, though it's highly unlikely to have anything to do with her
Michael Wood of the BBC provides an explanation of the Queen of Sheba here
Wikipedia's webpage on the Queen of Sheba here
Opposite the Palace is the Queen of Sheba's collapsed stele, said to mark the grave of the Makeda, the Queen of Sheba - Axum.
Again this is thought to be historically incorrect (to say the least..)
Protection for sapling trees on the streets of Axum
Walking past the Axum stelae
King Ezana's Park, Axum
Locals filling up with water at the Queen of Sheba's Pool in Axum.
Also known as Mai Shum, the attachment to the Queen is again tenuous, and more likely dates to the 15th century
Beautiful scenery on the trail to Debre Liqanos Monastery, Axum
The view from Debre Liqanos monastery, Axum
The bus trip to Lalibela.
Lalibela is the site of the magnificent rock-hewn churches dating to the 10th-13th century Zagwe dynasty.
King Lalibela was a Zagwe ruler from the 12th century
Bet Medhane Alem is the world's largest monolithic rock-hewn church at Lalibela
More about the Lalibela churches here
The walls of Bet Medhane Alem, Lalibela
A tunnel leads to three more Lalibela churches
A courtyard in Lalibela's north west cluster
Doors, alleyways, tunnels and steps make up the labyrinth that is Lalibela
A priest with cross at Bet Danaghel church, Lalibela
Lalibela's churches have been carved out of the surrounding rock
Priests gather around Lalibela's north west cluster
Preparing to enter Bet Debre Sina, Lalibela
A local weaver in Lalibela
The cross shaped roof of Bet Giyorgis - Lalibela
Bet Giyorgis is almost 15 metres in height, and lies apart from the rest of the Lalibela churches
At the base of Bet Giyorgis church, Lalibela
Leave your shoes at the entrance - Bet Giyorgis, Lalibela
Bet Giyorgis (St George), Lalibela
Perching a little too close to the edge at Bet Giyorgis, Lalibela
Drinking tej, a potent alcoholic brew made from honey, in an incense filled Lalibela tej house
Anyone for coffee? Lalibela
The main street in Lalibela
Priests gather for a ceremony in Lalibela
The village area on the Lalibela slopes. Lalibela lies at over 2600 metres altitude
Traditional mud-brick houses in Lalibela village
A distant view of Bet Gebriel-Rafael, part of the south east cluster of Lalibela's churches
Bet Gebriel-Rafael church, Lalibela
Take a torch for this pitch black tunnel to the next few churches (there's other ways of getting to them if you don't fancy this route) - Lalibela
And you'll pop up here - Lalibela
Inside Bet Lehem, Lalibela
Bet Emanuel church, Lalibela
A superb view looking down on Bet Emanuel, Lalibela
A natural trench forms a path within Lalibela's south east cluster
Lalibela
Bet Abba Libanos, Lalibela
A priest inside Bet Abba Libanos displays 2 crosses, Lalibela
Workers outside Bet Abba Libanos weed Lalibela's vegetation
Website and content Copyright © 2008-2012 Mark Wilkinson. All rights reserved.
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