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Discover
the “elder’s bag”
Most people come to Africa for safari or to see primitive
tribes. But, in the north of Ethiopia you will discover a
completely different Africa with monuments that speak of an
ancient civilization which can be compared with the Greek
chaina and Roman civilizations, 17th century castles where
kings lived in excessive luxury, playing their political games
and also innumerable rock hewn churches, Hidden jewels in the
rough landscape of Tigray. Many treasures are still hidden
under the earth, waiting to be excavated. Many mysteries still
have to be un reveled. Who has made the design for the 12 Rock
Hewn Churches in Lalibela and what techniques were used to cut
out a precisely shaped church from one monolithic
rock?.......How were the huge Axumite Obelisks erected? Was it
really by the power of the ark of the Covenant, as the legend
thought in Axum ? Who has built the temple of the moon in Yeha,
more than who were their ancestors? Besides that, while
travelling through north Ethiopia, the landscape and nature
will never be boring. Planes with vivid green Teff, rough and
capricious shaped mountains, breathtaking descents and views,
rivers in deep gorges and moon-like landscapes pass your eyes.
Colorful markets can be visited in different places. In the
small coffee houses, you can taste the real Ethiopian coffee
and atmosphere or you can visit a restaurant or bar to enjoy
traditional music and dance. The hospitable people of Amhara
or Tigray will joyfully receive you in their houses as a
honored guest to taste something of daily life and culture in
an Ethiopian family.
HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTHERN ETHIOPIA
AXUM
The sacred City of Ethiopians, Legend has it that Emperor
Menelik 1st the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon,
brought the Ark of the Covenant from Jerusalem to Axum, where
he settled and established one of the world’s known,
uninterrupted monarchical dynasties. Northern Ethiopian’s
ancient city of Axum is the country’s oldest extant urban
settlement and major religious center, it remains site of many
antiquities, including the famous monolithic obelisks or
stelae, important stone inscriptions, the remains of
spectacular palaces and graves, and a special gold, silver,
bronze currency.
Axum also emerged as an important religious center, site of
the country’s most important and revered church of St, Mary of
Tseyon (Zion) which, according to Ethiopian tradition, is the
repository of the biblical Ark of the Covenant. Axum’s
importance survived its political decline, between the
seventieth and tenth centuries. A number of year later
Ethiopian Emperors – all who could do so- went to the city for
their coronation. Axum so impressed nineteenth – century
British traveler Theodore Bent that he described it at length
in his classic travelogue The Sacred City of the Ethiopia.
YEHA
“
Yeha’s Temple of the Moon” which also believes were the da’amat civilizations was initially flourished in 500 BC, the
journey through Ethiopia’s historic rout takes you on rough
tracks, through dramatic highland scenery and eventually ends
in a beautiful and serene agricultural hamlet. It is here that
you may see the towering ruins of Yeha’s Temple of the Moon;
an imposing rectangular edifice built more than 2,500 years
ago. The temple speaks eloquently of the works of early high
civilization, although little is actually known about the
people who built this great edifice.
MONASTERY OF DEBRE DAMO
Don’t look down you will may be scare, Ascent to the
veneration is with the aid of a 15 meter long rope of leather
hanging down from the summit. Debre Damo situated on a cliff
top in one of the wildest parts of Tigray. Debre Damo is
unique and unforgettable. The bluff on which Damo stands is a
real-life Shangri-la. Remote and beautiful, far from the
hustle and bustle of the 21st century, the cool celestial
island of rock offers panoramic views over the surrounding
countryside and complete seclusion and peace for the 100 or so
monks and deacons who live there. The monastery’s treasures
include an extensive collection of illuminated manuscripts and
the intricate carvings on the beams and ceiling of the ancient
church around which the monastery is built.
NEGASH
On a small hill, is the tiny town of Negash, which, like Axum
belies its past prestigious? Negash was the first site of
Muslim settlement in Ethiopia. Fleeing persecution in Saudi
Arabia in Mohammed’s own life time, a community of Muslims,
including Mohammed’s daughter, took refuge here around 7
century. Negash is the most holy Islamic site after Mecca, and
thousands of Muslim believers are make pilgrimage here during
the commemoration day of Negash.
ROCK-HEWN CHURCHES OF TIGRAY
Some of the 125 very aged Rock-Hewn churches may even predated
those at Lalibela, and possibly represent a crucial link
between Axum and Lalibela chronologically, artistically and
technically. Until the mid- 1960 the churches were almost
unknown outside Tigray itself. Even today very little is known
about their magnificent and precarious positions have led
scholars to think they were being hidden from Muslims. For
those who want to combine trekking with terrific art and
history, this may be the perfect place.
DANAKIL DEPRESSION (Dallol)
Say goodbye to Earth and say hello to Venus. With several
points lying more than 120 m below sea level, the Danakil
depression has acquired a reputation as one of the deepest,
hottest and most inhospitable place on earth. It’s peppered
with countless colorful sulphurous springs an astonishing 30 %
of of African active volcanoes.
Dallol: which is a step away from the flat salt ground, is by
far the most stimulating site ever seen? The marvel, about 200
Km far of mekelle, is 3000 hectare wide and 120 meters below
sea level Made up of potash, sulfur and other valuable
minerals, pours water that smokes. The color of the ground
sprinkles and the smoke jointly discharges a vibrant image, a
rare incident ever to encounter.
Arte-ale: (an often steaming active volcano), the most famous
volcano, has been in a state of continuous eruption since
1967. Its small southerly crater is the only permanently
active lava lake on the planet.
All the way to Dallol and farther afield (Arte-ale), is
escorted with various astonishing sceneries. An act of
venturing to Dallol and beyond surprises, which altogether
enables one together a lot of unlikely experiences, thus
arouses a sense of sole hero.
LALIBELA
You will have photos to back up your stories of Lalibela’s
majesty. Lalibela is initially known as Roha which was the
capital of zagwe dynasty in the 12th century AD. After the
death of King Lalibela, the ruler credited with the
construction of those 11 (eleven) magnificent medieval
Rock-Hewn churches, because of this the town was named after
him.
Now a World Heritage Site these monolithic and semi-monolithic
churches are complete with carved doors, windows, arches,
rooms and interior decoration. The effect is stunningly
dramatic. They are the outcome of a major sculpturing
exercise.
Ruth Plant, architect, said, “The craftsmen who formed them
were as inventive as those who built Europe’s medieval
cathedrals. The rock-hewn churches were cut from the roof down
– they could not afford mistakes. Not one!”
Indeed, the elaborately shaped, intricately designed buildings
are a delight to both tourists and archaeologists and a visit
here during one of the special religious festivals can only
add to the very unique experience that Lalibela offers.
BAHAR DAR
Bahar Dar is located on the southern shores of Lake Tana, the
source of the Blue Nile, with its ancient 37 islands and 20
monasteries and both blue and the white Nile’s most
spectacular feature, the Tis Isat Falls.
On the island of Dega Stifanos you will find the church of
Saint Stefanos, which has a priceless collection of icons and
manuscripts, Kibran Gebriel, with many ancient books, and the
impressive and beautiful Ura Kidane Mirhet and its intriguing
frescoes, and houses the mummified remains of Ethiopian
emperors.
For the modern traveler, the starting point of any visit to
the Blue Nile Falls, or to the islands of Lake Tana, is the
bustling markets town of Bahar Dar. The colorful markets and a
variety of handicrafts and weaving centers also make it a
comfortable base for excursion by land or water. Bahar Dar
port provides access by boat to a number of historic lakeside
churches and monasteries near and far. Most date from the 17th
century and have beautiful painted walls. Many such places of
worship now have fascinating museum, at which the visitor can
see priceless illustrated manuscripts, historic crowns and
fine royal and ecclesiastical robes. Some monastic islands are
forbidden to women, but others can be visited by all.
Visitors to Bahar Dar can also see tankwas, locally made
canoes, made out of the papyrus reeds growing by the lake
shore, as well as an historic old building erected, in St.
George’s church compound, by the 17th century Spanish Jesuit,
Pero Paes.
GONDER
‘
Gonder the Camelot of Africa’ during the 17th century,
Emperor Fasiledas and his dynasty constructed some of the most
remarkable structures in Africa, and Gondar became an imperial
walled capital with a number of towers and castles. Today,
they continue to crown Gondar in a 70,000 sqm enclosure, like
priceless diadems, reminders of its past power and grandeur.
The numerous castles, built between 1640 and 1769 by various
emperors, are unlike any in Africa and display the rich
architectural Axumite tradition and the influence of Arabia.
Their historic value has been recognized in that the Royal
Enclosure (FASIL GIBI) is included on the World Heritage list.
A wealth of other castles, churches and historical buildings
are scattered around Gondar. Probably the most charming of
these is the bathing pool of Emperor Fasiledas which is used
for the colorful annual Timket (Ethiopian Epiphany)
celebrations in January. Nearby, is a small domed mausoleum
said to have been built for the Emperor’s favorite horse, and
ruins of the palace for the redoubtable and beautiful 18th
century Empress Mentewab at Kuskuam, which offers visitors an
extraordinarily impressive sight and a wonderful view of the
town.
Within easy reach is the rectangular and stunningly decorated
Debre Birhan Selassie Church – one of the most amazing
displays of religious art in Ethiopia. Eighty wide-eyed angels
look down upon mesmerized visitors and other frescoes depict
Christian scenes. Then, just three kilometers from Gondar is,
Woleka, the former Felasha (Ethiopian Jewish) village with its
highly decorated pottery, which, with all the other sights,
offers the visitor an inspiring experience.
SIMIEN MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
No matter how you look at them, the simian mountain national
park will leave you speechless. For trekkers, the lack of word
will be the result of their lungs screaming after slogging up
a scare slope at 4543 mount Ras Dashen. For animal lovers, it
will be the trepidation of sitting among a group of 100 gelada
baboon that zaps their vocabulary. For everyone with a
heartbeat it will simply be standing atop a panoramic
precipice and looking out over the Abyssinian abyss that takes
their breath away.
The 179-sq-km park lies within the ‘Afro-alpine’ zone, between
1900 and 4543m elevation. The Simien’s landscape is incredibly
dramatic. It was formed by countless eruptions some 40 million
years ago. Layer up on layer of molten lava was poured until
it reached a thickness of 3000m. the subsequent erosion
produced the mountains’ jagged and spectacular landscapes seen
today.
The mountains are home to three of Ethiopia’s large endemic
mammals: the WALIA IBEX, the CHELADA BABOON and the elusive
ETHIOPIAN WOLF. Other mammals sometimes seen are rock hyraxes,
jackals, bushbucks and klipspringers.
Endemic birds include the often –seen thick-headed siskin,
white-collared pigeon, white-billed starling, wattled ibis,
spot- breasted plover, white-backed black tit and Ankober seed
eater or serin. Though common, one of the most memorable
sights and sounds is the lammergeyer soaring low.
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