MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTION PLACES:PART ONE

1 [TAG Tour and Travel]…Travel in style

alibela Lalibela, a medieval

settlement in the Lasta area of Wello, lies at the centre of an extensive complex of rock churches. Lalibela has 11 remarkable rock-hewn monolithic, semi-monolithic and cave built churches, built by one of the Zagwe Dynasty rulers, King Lalibela in the late 12th and early 13th century. These notable structures are carved, inside and out, out of one solid rock, and are the Unofficial eighth wonders of the world. Each building is architecturally unique but each reflects beautifully executed craftsmanship, and several are decorated with fascinating paintings. Four are completely free-standing, attached only to the surrounding rock by their bases. These are Beta Medhane Alem, the House of the Savior of the World; Beta Ghenetta Mariam, the House of Mary; Beta Ammanuel, the House of Emanuel; and Beta Ghiorghis, the House of St George. Although their individual dimensions and configurations are extremely different, the churches are all built from great blocks of stone, sculptured to resemble normal buildings and wholly isolated within deep

courtyards. They represent, as one authority has put it, the ultimate in rock-church design. One is amazed at the technical skill, the material resources and the continuity of effort. Which such vast undertakings imply.

L

MAJOR TOURIST ATTRACTION PLACES

Ethiopia is one of the states which are found at the horn

Africa. These state embraced a 3,000 years history…including

the African iconic relic (the cradle of man kind…Lucy), well

known by the historical, the natural, the wildlife and the

cultural tourism including the other tourism activities that

doesn’t mansion here. This incredible and suitable country is

also got the 8 world heritage sites which offer a lot other

attraction that doesn’t known by the tourists or other people

who are not in the country. More over other side of the globe

know this country by the bad side of the images like famine

and poverty, and they still tend to live with this mismatch

information. To clarify and to tell you about the potential

tourist attraction place that we have in our country and the

benefit that you will get from these tourist attraction places

by visiting or get connected or involved to these industries let

see the major attraction places that we have on our country.

Roha the Wonderful


The Royal City of Gondar was founded by the Ethiopian Negus Fasilides in the 17th century. Several of his successors built their palaces In the same court, forming a complex of rare Beauty. The site was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1979. Not far away, The ruins of a more ancient castle left in solitude have another story to tell. Gondar is 50 kilometers north of Lake Tana, 700 kilometers north of Addis Ababa and nestles in the foothills of the Semien mountains at an altitude of 2200 meters above sea level. Gondar, founded by King Fusillades in 1936 was the capital of Ethiopia for nearly 200 years. This fact is reflected by the number of palace buildings

in the castle compound. The city’s main imperial precinct, known as the Royal Enclosure, covers an area of 7.7 hectares and Contains five castles raised walkways and connecting tunnels surrounded by high stone walls. The oldest of these is the Castle of Fasiledes, built of stone in the

mid-17th century, reflecting a number of influences, mainly Axumite, Portuguese and Indian. The upper storey offers panoramic views and Lake Tana is visible on a clear

day.

The Camelot of Africa Gondar

The K

ing

with

the

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trud

e Ton

gue

GONDAR

The Camelot

“Find a town that begins with the Word ‘go’. When you find it, you will proclaim it the capital of your kingdom. After

Gojam, Gouzara and Gorgora, came Gondar.

GONDAR


The Home of the Ark

Three parks planted with giant steal, a labyrinth of royal tombs,

vestiges of the Queen of Sheba’s palace, an “Ethiopian Rosetta

Stone”, the Ark of the Covenant containing the Ten

Commandments… an incredible treasure, poised between myth

and history is hidden in Aksum, where the heart of ancient

AKSUM

Axum is an ancient town in northern Ethiopia. It lies at an elevation of about 2100 meters just west of Adwa in Tigrai region. Once the seat of the kingdom of Axum, it is now a tourist town and religious centre best known for its antiquities tall granite obelisks, 126 in all, stand (or lie broken) in the central square. Once measuring 33 meters, now fallen, is said to be the tallest obelisk ever erected. The obelisks range from nearly plain slabs to intricately inscribed pillars. Door and window-like Shapes are carved into some of the pillars, giving them the appearance of slender buildings. The most recent of the obelisks announces the Adoption of Christianity in the 4th century by king Ezana. At least 27 carved stone thrones have been unearthed in the overgrown ruins of the ancient

palace.

AXUM

How did the Ark of the Covenant end up in Aksum? Well, it was brought from Jerusalem by Menelik, first king of Ethiopia, son of a king of Israel and Queen Makeda. Some say he was the born to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. About 30 centuries Ago he founded the Solomonic dynasty, of which the last Ethiopian Emperor, Haile Selassie, (1892-1974) Claimed to descend. “According to tradition, Menelik hid the Ark of the Covenant in his mother’s Palace, which is about three kilometers from the

centre of Aksum.

The Queen of Sheba, mysterious as ever

THE ARK OF THE COVENANT

The word Aksum is a Derivation of the word Kush, a Hebrew word, which, in turn, means Ethiopia.


The Intangible Treasures of Lake Tana

Bahir Dar

The country could be subject to fire and sword, but no invader ever troubled the serene peace of Lake Tana. For that reason, the Ethiopian kings safely hid their treasures in churches on the lake’s islands. But upon careful observation, another treasure is revealed as one discovers the mural paintings in these churches: they can be read

like a book of Ethiopian history.

At dawn, coming up to Dek, the largest of the 30-odd islands and islets scattered on Lake Tana. Bahir Dar, capital of the Amhara Region, forms A crescent on much of its bank, opposite of which are strewn the ruins of royal palaces. The majority of Lake Tana’s churches were built between the 14th and 18th centuries, following the same architectural plan. The three circles represent the Holy Trinity. In Ethiopian iconography, it is always Represented by three identical old

Men “because you cannot differentiate

Between the Father, the Son and The Holy Spirit, in the churches of Lake Tana, the lower register of the sanctuary wall is devoted to Ethiopian history. Important moments in the lives of local kings and saints are portrayed In successive images, telling the People what they cannot read in the Many Ethiopian manuscripts written On parchment, as these were generally Written in Gu’ez language. The Language died out in the 14th century

And today it is used only in liturgy.

When images speak instead of words

Bahir Dar is a modern small town on the south eastern shore of Lake Tana in the north of Ethiopia. It hosts the fabled Blue Nile falls, the beautiful highland Lake Tana and 14th-century island monastic churches. It lies on a altitude of 1850 meters and has a very nice center with wide lanes, surrounded by palm trees, lots of gardens and tropical flowers and plant. From Bahir Dar you have to explore some of the ancient monasteries that have been built around Lake Tana or on the many islands in the lake. There are 37 islands dotted all over the lake and 30 of them house churches and monasteries of great cultural and historical interest. They contain beautiful Manuscripts, objects of worship and crosses dating back to the dawn of Christianity. These include Dek Stephanos, with a good collection of icons, as well as the remains of several medieval emperors, Kebran Gabriel (closed to

women), and Ura Kidane Mehret with its famous frescoes.


Debre Damo

Damo is unique and unforgettable although, as with most Ethiopian monasteries, women are not allowed to enter it. Even so, there is a daunting obstacle to the monastery: the only means of access is a climb of twenty-five meters up a sheer cliff. Monks lower a safety rope which visitors tie around their waists. Then they use a second, thicker rope to climb with. Some may reflect, as they make their way to the top, that because of this arduous, dangerous ascent the art treasures of Debra Damo have remained intact through the monastery-s 1,400 tumultuous years of history. The treasures include an extensive collection of illuminated manuscripts - among them the oldest surviving fragments of texts anywhere in Ethiopia - and intricate carvings on the beams and ceiling of the ancient church around which the monastery is built. There are no murals as such, but a large number of paintings are preserved there including several that depict the legend of the foundation of Debra Damo by Abuna Aragawi. He is a Saint who is believed to have been lifted onto the cliff top by a giant serpent. According to the, the Archangel Gabriel stood by with a sword ready to slay the snake if it attacked Abuna Aragawi. It did not, however, and wrapped in its coils the Saint reached the top safely, dropping his cross on a stone,

which is today kissed by all who enter the monastery.

Foot steps of generations of hermits

Debre Damo

24-metre cliff to cover the story of the

6thcentury Debre Damo Monastery, one of

the oldest and most important ones in

Ethiopia…