Endengered by war, Ethiopia's cultural riches offer touristic value

July 27, 2022

Africa has a lot more to offer than just wildlife safaris. Take Ethiopia, for instance, which boasts of a heritage and cultural legacy dating back to the 'first men'. The country is on the global tourist map particularly because of the mountain town of Lalibela and its stunning rock-hewn churches. In the heart of this small town in northern Ethiopia are eleven spectacular churches that have been carved out of a single volcanic rock. Now, experts fears that the war in Ethiopia could result in destruction of this ancient holy city, a World Heritage listed site.

These medieval monolithic cave churches are said to be hewn on the orders of King Lalibela in the 12th century. The King aimed to create a ‘new Jerusalem’ for pilgrims and worshippers after Muslim conquests halted Christians from undertaking the holy pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Some also believe that King Lalibela was assisted by an army of angels to complete the structures.

Today they are frequented by followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The walk to these structures is a long, hard one, including a climb up a rugged mountain. Narrow paths on this mountainous landscape connect all the structures. However, that does not deter the pilgrims who frequent the site for daily prayers, or for special ceremonies. Huge crowds gather here on holidays such as Christmas and Easter. People come from all over the world to explore the above-ground structures and below-ground tunnels.