Ethiopia Travel & Tour Information
Lalibela
They
say it's the 8th wonder of the world. Once the thriving and
populous capital city of medieval dynasty, Lalibela, is indeed the
8th wonder with its 13 rock-hewn churches cut out of a solid red
volcanic rock. Some of the churches lie almost completely hidden
in deep trenches, while others stand in open quarried caves. A
complex and bewildering labyrinth of tunnels and narrow
passageways with offset crypts, grottoes and galleries connects
the churches.
Formerly
known as Roha, it now the name of King Lalibela (1181—1221)
member of the Zagwe dynasty. Shortly after his birth at Roha, the
future mystical life began to unfold. Legend has it that one day
his mother saw him happily in his cradle surrounded dense swarm of
bees. Recalling an old Ethiopian belief that the animal could
foretell the advent of important personages, she cried out: ‘The
bees know this child will become King.’ Accordingly
she called her son ‘Lalibela’, which means
‘the bee recognizes his sovereignty’.
Lalibela’s
older brother, Harbay, the incumbent monarch, was disturbed to
hear this news and became jealous.
As
the years passed, he began to feat for the safety of his throne
and decided to eliminate his rival, and unsuccessfully tried to
have his brother murdered. By giving him a deadly potion that left
the young prince mortal sleep. During the three-day stupor,
Lalibela was transported by angels the first, second, and third
heavens, where God ordered him to return to Roha and build
churches, the like of which the world had never seen before. The
Almighty, it is said, further told the prince how to design those
churches, where to build them, and how to decorate them.
Legend
has also it that Lalibela was built by angels armed with masonry
tools. No one knows the true story of how these churches came to
be. Archaeologists say it would have required the work of 40,000
men to carve the labyrinths of grottoes, courtyards, caverns, and
walls out of the mauve-colored rock.
Physically
raised from the rock in which they stand, these towering edifices
seem to be of superhuman creation in scale, workmanship and
concept. Some lie almost completely hidden in deep trenches, while
others stand in open quarried caves. A complex and bewildering
labyrinth of tunnels and narrow passageways with offset crypts,
grottos, and galleries connects them all. Throughout this
mysterious and wonderful settlement, priests and deacons go about
their timeless business, scarcely seeming aware that they are
living in what has become known as the Eighth Wonder of the World.
Seeing
all the Lalibela churches, which are cut out of soft red volcanic
tuff, takes a long time, but it is well worth it. Although the ten
main churches are within a very short distance of the town centre,
there are others some distance away.
The
churches can actually be divided into two main groups — one to
the south the other to the north of a stream run locally as the
Jordan River
.
The
first group of churches lie in their rock cradles one behind the
other north of river. They are six in number: Bet Glogotha, Bet
Mika’el (also known as Bet ~ Sina), Bet Maryam, Bet Meskel, Bet
ghel, and Bet Medhane Alem.
The
first church most travelers visit is Bete Mehedhane Alem, the
largest of all the churches. Taking the form of a Greek temple, ii
is unusual in being totally surrounded by square-shaped columns,
with a further forest of twenty-massive rectangular columns
supporting the roof inside. In a corner of the church, one can see
three empty graves said to have been symbolically dug for the
biblical personages of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
A
few minutes’ walk from Bet Medhane is Bet Maryam, which stands
in a spacious courtyard. It is the most beloved
not only of the Lalibela clergy, but also of the many
pilgrims streaming into its courtyard on holy days. Legend says
that King Lalibela also favored this church above all, and
attended mass there daily. A ‘box’ of the royal family of
Lalibela is still shown on the western wall of the courtyard
opposite the main entrance.
A
deep square pool in the courtyard is said to have miraculous
properties, and infertile women dip themselves in the
algae-covered waters at certain times of the year, particularly at
Christmas.
Dedicated
to Mary, the mother of Christ, this church is alone amongst the
Lalibela monoliths in that it has a projecting porch. The remains
of early unusual frescoes can be seen on the ceiling and upper
walls, and there are many elaborately carved details on the piers,
capitals, and arches.
In
the northern wall of the Bet Maryam courtyard is the excavated
chapel of Bet Meskel. It is a broad gallery, with a row of four
pillars dividing the space into two aisles spanned by arcades. One
spandrel between two arches contains a relief cross beneath
stylized foliage, a decorative motif often found in Lalibela. Bet
Meskel also contains several large caves, some of them inhibited
by hermits.
Jutting
out at the south of the Bet Maryam courtyard is the little chapel
of Bet DanagheL which is connected with one the most fascinating
legends of Lalibela.
The
chapel was constructed in honour of maidens martyred Julian the
Apostate, who ruled
Rome
in the mid-fourth century, the time Christianity was first brought
Axum
. It is said that fifty young maidens, and novices, who lived a
pious life under the supervision of their abbess Sofia Edessa
(present-day
Turkey
), were ordered to be killed by Julian when he passed through the
town and learned of the nunnery. The abbess and her young maidens
were beheaded. This tiny chapel in the mountains of
Ethiopia
helps keep alive the memory of their modest contemplative life and
their last moment of bravery in professing their Christian faith.
A
tunnel at the southern end of the Bet Maryam courtyard leads to
the interconnected churches of Bet Golgotha and Bet Mika’el,
which, together with the Selassie Chapel and the Tomb of Adam,
form the most mysterious complex in Lalibela. Its holiest shrine,
the Selassie chapel, is housed here, and — according to the
whispers of the priests perhaps even the tomb of King Lalibela
himself. It is likely that some of the most beautiful processional
crosses of Lalibela will be shown to you here. One, a very rich
and elaborate metal cross, black with age and decorated with
inlaid circles, is said to have belonged to King Lalibela.
While
the ancient entrance to this group was probably from the west,
passing the hollowed block of the Tomb of Adam, the Courtyard is
now entered from the south, being connected by the trench leading
off the Bet Maryam church. A side door leads to the first church,
Bet Mika’el, which is considered a twin church of the more
northern Bet Golgotha. Two windows in the southern wall of Bet
Golgotha give light to two shrines — the right-hand one to the
Selassie Chapel and the one on the left to the ‘Iyesus Cell’
(Cell of Jesus), located at the east end of the right-hand nave of
the church proper. Not far from the ‘tomb of Christ’ — an
arched recess in the north-east corner of the church — is a
movable slab set into the floor, said to cover the most secret
place of the holy city: the tomb or crypt of King Lalibela.
Bet
Golgotha
, although simple in its architecture, houses some of the most
remarkable pieces of early Christian Ethiopian art: figurative
reliefs, rare elsewhere in the country. The ‘tomb of Christ’
displays a recumbent figure in high relief with an angel in low
relief above its head. The figures of seven saints, mostly larger
than life, decorate arched niches in the walls.
A
doorway at the east end of the right-hand nave of Bet Golgotha
opens on to the Selassie Chapel, a place of greatest sanctity that
is rarely open even to the priests, and very few visitors have
been permitted to enter it. The shrine is completely imprisoned in
the rock and features three monolithic altars. The central altar
displays a relief decoration of four winged creatures with hands
raised in prayer, ought to be representations of the Four
evangelists.
The
simple but impressive Tomb of Adam is a huge square block of
stone, which stands in a deep trench in front of the western face
of Bet Golgotha. The ground floor of this hollowed-out block
serves as the western entrance to the first group of churches, and
the upper floor houses a hermit’s cell.
The
group south of the
Jordan River
comprises four churches: Bet Amanuel, Bet Merkorios, Bet Abba
Libanos, and Bet Gibriel-Rufa’el.
Bet
Amanuel, the finest of the group, its elaborate exterior much
praised art historians. Its walls imitate the alternate projecting
and recessing walls of an Axumite building. The structure contains
a large hall with four pillars, and its windows, which are
irregularly placed, are also Axumite in style. A spiral staircase
leads up to an upper storey. The most striking interior feature is
the double frieze of blind windows in the vaulted nave, the lower
frieze being purely ornamental and the upper one consisting of
windows alternating with decorated areas. In the rock floor of the
southern aisle a hole opens into a long, subterranean tunnel
leading to neighboring Bet Merkorios.
Chambers
and cavities for sacred bees in the outer wall of the courtyard
are a reminder of the bees that prophesied kingship to Lalibela.
Some of the chambers, however, are the graves of monks and
pilgrims who wanted to be buried in this ‘holy city’. In this
outer wall two further underground passages have been discovered
leading to Bet Merkorios.
Bet
Merkorios, partially collapsed and recently restored, is thought
to have originally served a secular purpose —perhaps that of a
house of justice, as amongst the secular objects found in recently
excavated trenches were shackles for the ankles of prisoners. The
Lalibela clergy only much later turned it into a The naked walls
of Bet Merkorios were once covered with rich paintings on cotton
fabrics, which were .J to the walls by a thick layer of ox blood,
and straw.
Bet
Abba Libanos, which is separated from the surrounding land on only
three sides, is a structure of great charm and a good example of a
cave church. It resembles Bet Amanuel in that its walls are
chiseled in Axumite style.
It
is suspected that Bet Gabriel-Rufa’el was also not originally
intended to serve as a church, largely because of its
disorientation and unusual plan. The labyrinthine floor plan
features three angular halls with pillars and pilasters that are
squeezed between two courtyards. The most impressive part of the
church is the monumental façade. Although usually entered from
the top of the rock near Bet Amanuel in the east by a small bridge
of logs leading over the central trench, you may also approach
from the east by a series of small tunnels, a gallery-like passage
and another log bridge ten metres (33 feet) above the courtyard.
From the north a path leads from the outer trench to a narrow
chiseled-out ridge of rock called the ‘path to heaven’. This
in turn leads up steeply to the roof of the church, although there
is no entrance from this point.
Also
to the north of the Jordan, but much further to the west, and
somewhat isolated from the others, is the remarkable
church
of
Bet Giyorgis
, possibly the most elegant of all the Lalibela structures. It is
located in the south-west of the village on a sloping rock
terrace. In a deep pit with perpendicular walls, it can only be
reached through a tunnel, which is entered from Some distance away
through a trench.
Legend
says that when King Lalibela had almost completed his churches, he
was severely reproached by Saint George —who in full armor rode
up to him on his white horse — for not having constructed a
house for him. Lalibela thereupon promised the saint the most
beautiful church, and Saint George apparently supervised the
execution of the works in person, as attested by the fact that the
monks today still show the hoof marks of his horse to visitors.
Standing
on a three-tiered plinth, Bet Giyorgis is shaped in the form of a
Greek cross, and has walls reminiscent of Axumite architecture.
The church also has an elaborately shaped doorway.
There
are several other rock churches within a day’s journey of
Lalibela. Keep in mind that access to them often requires long
walks and stiff climbs or rides by mule. They include Yemrehanna
Krestos, six hours by foot and mule to the northeast of Lalibela,
a remarkably beautiful structure built (not excavated) in typical
Axumite style within a cave; Arbatu Entzessa, southwest of
Yemrehanna Krestos and detached from the rock on only two sides;
Bilbila Giyorgis, west of Arbatu Entzessa, only the façade of
which is visible; and Sarsana Mika’el, which is detached on
three sides. Also of interest is the church of Ashetan Maryam,
located in the mountain high above the town, with an impressive
view of the surrounding countryside, Na’akuto La’ab, a
veritable jewel of a church built in a cave and Ukre Mestale
Christos near Sekota, where the mummified remains of several
wag-shums — former rulers of Wollo — are to be found.
Courtesy:
Spectrum Guide To
Ethiopia
, CAMERIAPIX
Mountains
surround Lalibela, formerly known as Roha. It is a UNESCO World
Heritage Site and the magnificent Rock Hewn Churches are often
mentioned as the Eight Wonder of the world. The holy land Lalibela
was the capital of
Ethiopia
in the 12th Century. It was during this time that the unique rock
hewn Lalibela churches were built.
Particularly
during Christmas and Epiphany Lalibela welcomes a multitude of
visitors from all over the world, who come to partake in the
spectacular celebrations of these holidays.
Lalibela
was founded in 523 EC. It is located 642 km from
Addis Ababa
via Woldiya, 279 km from Mekele and 316 km from Bahir Dar. Its
altitude is between 2500-2800 m above sea level and has a modern,
international airport and suitable road. The power supply is 220
volt for single phases and 380 volt for triple phases. There is
potable water and a hospital in the city.
Lalibela
can be reached either by air with Ethiopian Airlines, except in
the rainy season or by road throughout the year. During the rainy
season, due to foggy climatic condition, the regular flight
schedules may be interrupted.
Sight
Seeing
UNESCO
World Heritage Site – The Wonderful Rock Hewn Churches of
Lalibela
The
stunning Rock Hewn Churches of Lalibela attracts many tourists
every year. Constructed
by King Lalibela the churches dates back about 800 years. The
construction of these churches is said to have been done by King
Lalibela himself and it is said that he had finished the work in
24 years. It is still a wonder how these complicated and
architecturally unique churches have been constructed without the
help of modern engineering techniques.
After
visiting the churches, many visitors have written praise to this
unique wonder of the world. Alvarez, the first European to visit
Lalibela in 1520 wrote
''I
swear by God, in his power I am, that all that is written is the
truth and there is much more than I have already written, and I
have left it that they may not tax me with its being false hood.''
This
type of churches is not found elsewhere in the world. With their
amazing intricacy, and with some of the churches hewn out of one
block of rock, even Ethiopians get overwhelmed at the sight, even
though there are more than 400 rock hewn churches built before and
after Lalibela especially in the northern part of the country. But
the Lalibela churches are truly unique.
In
the carving of the 11 rock hewn churches St. Lalibela is often
thought to have had some supernatural force helping him.
Otherwise, who could he have managed to make the dream come true?
There was no slave labour in
Ethiopia
and there were no skilled crafts men either. So, who did help him
with all that construction? If
we assume that foreigners helped him, why is there no evidence of
such help and why are the churches unique to Lalibela? Series of
questions can be raised but their answers are not easy to find.
In
the churches, every ornament has biblical implications. What is
found here in Lalibela in symbols represents images found there in
the Holy City Jerusalem.
The
Lalibela Rock Hewn Churches are grouped in to three units around
what is called the river
Jordan
.
The
first group north of Jordan River comprises six churches; Bete
Medihane Alem, Bete Maryam, Bete Meskel, Bete Denagil, Bete Debre
Sina and Bete Golgota. This group of churches is said to symbolize
the Earthly Jerusalem.
Bete
Medihane Alem (The House of the Redeemer of the World) is the
largest church in Lalibela and has an amazing 72 giant pillars. It
is a freestanding monolithic church resting alone in its
courtyard. Inside this church there are three striking empty
graves, symbolically dug for the three biblical patriarchs
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The ''Afro Ayigeba'', the crucifix
renowned for its healing power, is shown to the public on Sundays
and on some holidays.
Crossing
the short tunnel south of Bete Medihane Alem brings you to Bete
Mariam courtyard, which also comprises Bete Meskel and Bete
Denagil.
Bete
Mariam (The House of Mary) is the other freely erected one storey
monolithic church, which was built first of all the churches. It
is the most beloved church by the pilgrims. Even King Lalibela
favored this church in which he used to attend the daily masses.
The most colorful holiday celebrations like Christmas and Epiphany
are carried out here even today. Here the visitors experience an
atmosphere of serenity. In this courtyard, there is a pool, which
is believed to cure women of sterility. What make Bete Mariam
still more contemplative are its frescoes depicting scenes from
biblical lore.
In
the northern and southern corners of this courtyard, the smaller
churches Bete Meskel and Bete Denagil are located.
Southwest
of the courtyard, after crossing the trench, a most impressive
complex of twin churches, Bete Debre Sina and Bete Golgotha
appear. These churches are home to the Silassie (the Trinity)
Chapel, the symbol of the Tomb of Adam and the grave of King
Lalibela.
Sheltered
under the same roof as Bete Golgotha, Bete Debre Sina (The House
of Mount Sinai) is the first chapel from the entrance. Saint
Lalibela built this church to symbolize
Mount
Sina
where Moses received the Ark of the Covenant.
Bete
Golgota (The House of Golgotha) church is also called Bete Mikael.
This is the most complex chapel where Golgotha,
Bethlehem
, and Keranio are built symbolically. From the tomb of Saint
Lalibela inside this church, holy soil -'Imnet' - is found and
used to treat certain diseases. Relief sculptures of 7 apostles
cover the walls of the church. Moreover, a decorated cross and a
wooden praying stick of Saint Lalibela are displayed.
The
second group of churches symbolizing the Heavenly Jerusalem,
located east of the
Jordan River
, comprise from east to west Bete Amanuel, Bete Merkorios, Bete
Abba Libanos and Bete Gebriel-Rufael.
Bete
Amanuel (The House of Emanuel) is architecturally the most
outstanding and freely erected monolithic church and highly
praised by art historians. It has an upper storey and most
striking blind windows. The church is linked with the neighboring
church, Bete Merkorios, by a dark, long subterranean tunnel.
Bete
Merkorios (The House of Merkorios) is dedicated to Saint
Merkorios. The church displays wooden bound parchment manuscripts,
brass and gold crosses, and cotton fabric paintings, portraying
the crucifixion of Christ.
Bete
Abba Libanos (The House of Libanos), a church dedicated to the
Ethiopian Saint Abba Libanos, constitutes the southern boarder of
the second group of churches. The roof of this church is attached
to the living rock.
Bete
Gebrael-Rufael (The House of Gabrael and Rufael) is an
architectural complex of twin church like Bete Debre Sina and Bete
Golgotha. It can be entered from two directions. The two chapels
are sharing the same roof and entrance. In the first chapel, Bete
Gebrael, an impressive and a very big parchment manuscript with
332 pages and different crosses is displayed. What make this
church unique are its underground rooms.
The
lone church Bete Giyorgis is an architecturally elegant,
sophisticated and most striking church. This freely standing
monolithic church symbolizes Noah’s ark. Bete Giyorgis is used
as a national symbol.
The
church is entered through a tunnel that again leads to a trench.
In the courtyard holy water flows, though where it comes from is
not easy to see. In the graves around the detached walls in the
courtyard visitors easily see mummies. In side the church along
with big parchment manuscripts and crosses, a large wooden box,
unusually locked by wooden nuts, in which saint Lalibela used to
put the pristine carving tools is found. The presence of this box
here signifies that Bete Giyorgis is the church that is built
last.
A
thorough visit to all the rock-hewn churches will require a couple
of days.
Note:
The entrance fee to all of these churches is 100 Eth. Birr.
Other
Rock Hewn and
Cave
Churches
around Lalibela
In
the vicinity of Lalibela several rock-hewn and cave churches can
be reached either by walking or riding mules. These churches are
e.g.
Asheten
Mariam, on the glamorous mountain 4000 m above sea level is indeed
a most captivating site, offering a spectacular view of
Lalibela
Town
and its surroundings. King Ne Akuto Le Ab, the nephew and
successor of king Lalibela, built this church. The church is
partially detached from the living rock.
This
church has alluring leather paintings particularly depicting the
crucifixion of Christ, elegantly decorated parchment manuscripts
and crosses. This church is reached either by two hours gentle
walking or by riding mules.
Situated
on the foot of the hill Ne Akuto Le Ab is a marvelous cave church.
The cave in which the church is found is breathtaking. From the
roof of this church holy water drips constantly throughout the
year. This holy water is said to have a healing power over many
ailments.
At
the treasure house of Ne Akuto Le Ab, the priests will show the
visitors strange metallic drums, crowns and crosses.
The
church is reached after driving 7 kilometres on the road to the
Airport and walking for 15 minutes to the east.
The
other elegant cave and rock hewn churches around Lalibela are
Yimrihane Kirstos (a cave church), Arbaitu Insisa, Bilbila
Giyorgis, Bilbila Kirkos, Genete Maryam, Emkina Lideta Maryam,
Emkina Medihane Alem and Kenkenit Mikael.
Note:
The entrance fee of these churches is 20 Eth. Birr for each except
Yimrihane Kirstos, where the fee is 50 Eth. Birr.
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