Heritage sites

Lalibela is designated and listed as world Heritage site in 1978 for its extraordinary 12^th century work of art, the 11 Rock hewn churches of Lalibela. They all, the eleven, churches were hewned during the reign of King Lalibela and are categorized in three different groups:-

The Northern Group: Bete Medhane Alem, home to the Lalibela Cross and believed to be the largest monolithic church in the world. It is linked to Bete Maryam (possibly the oldest of the churches), Bete Golgotha (known for its arts and said to contain the tomb of King Lalibela), the Selassie Chapel and the Tomb of Adam.

The Eastern Group: Bete Amanuel, Bete Merkorios, Bete Abba Libanos and Bete Gabriel-Rufael.

The Western Group: Bete Giyorgis, said to be the most finely executed and best preserved church.

The graceful city of Gondar, founded by Emperor Fasilidas in 1632, was Ethiopia’s capital until the reign of Emperor Tewaodros II, also known as Theodore. During its long years as a capital city, the settlement emerged as one of the largest and most popular cities in the realm. Gondar is famous and listed by UNESCO as one of the world’s heritage site for its many medieval castles and the design and decoration of its churches. The earliest of the castles was created by Fasilidas himself and is still in such an excellent state.

Axum historical and archaeological sites, rightly famous for its obelisks was listed and designated as one of world Heritage site in September 1980. Axum was the capital of the Axumite kingdom – once one of the four kingdoms of the world. It was also home to the Queen of Sheba whose ruined palace and bathing pool can still be found in and around the town.

Located in the Southern Nations & Nationalities People Region, Gurage Zone, TIYA is a Field that contains 36 monuments with 32 carved stelae marked with symbols which are found nowhere else in the world. This mass cemetery was uncovered, with bodies buried in the position of prayer and it is a very mysterious archeological site which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1980. Researchers and archaeologists believe that these monuments serve as an important example of the Ethiopian culture, of which many still have not discovered the origin of.

This site is important not only for Ethiopia but also for the entire African continent. This site holds the largest and most important collection of paleontological sites. Archaeologists and anthropologists continually claim that the oldest hominid remains (Ardipiticus Ramidus, a new species, and 4.4 million years old) were originally discovered in the Awash Lower Valley paleontological and prehistoric sites North-eastern part of Ethiopia, Afar region; the most famous of all is a 3.2myo Australopiticus Afarensis human fossil Lucy discovered in 1974 by an American Professor Donald Johanson.

This prehistoric site at the lower valley of the Omo is famous all over the world. Several fossil remains were discovered on this site near Lake Turkana. The most notable fossil discovered here is the Homo gracilis. It was fundamental in the study of human history and evolution. Included in this site is Fejej and Konso paleontological research sites wherein there are sedimentary deposits found that researchers trace back to the plio-Pleistocene period. This site is still under discovery by the peleaontologists for further findings.

The old city of Harar and the wall is considered to be one of the world heritages sites. The walls that surround this sacred city were built in the 13th century and completed by the 16th century. It is also believed to be the holiest city for Islam due to the rich collection of important Islam monuments, notably including 82 mosques and 102 shrines. But above all, this town is culturally significant in Ethiopia as it showcases the fusion of Islamic and African traditions in a single town – both in terms of urban development, layout, and overall character of this town.

One of the cultural site on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ethiopia. It is an arid property of traditional stone-walled terraces and fortified settlement (Paletea), Ward System (Kanta), Cultural Spaces (Mora) and the generation poles (Olayta). This cultural tradition has been around for over 21 generations (over 400 years) in Ethiopia. It is an excellent example of how the settlements and the humans living in the region adapted to the dry and hostile environment in the Konso highlands. Within the site, you will also find wooden statues that were put up to honor key members of the community and are famous for the dry stone terracing practices (Kabata). In fact, they have innovated the use of stone steles that indicate the passing of important leaders of the community.

The property lies along the eastern edge of the Main Ethiopian Rift, on the steep escarpments of the Ethiopian highlands. An area of agroforestry, it utilizes multilayer cultivation with large trees sheltering indigenous enset, the main food crop, under which grow coffee and other shrubs. The area is densely populated by the Gedeo people whose traditional knowledge support local forest management. Within the cultivated mountain slopes are sacred forests traditionally used by local communities for rituals associated with the Gedeo religion, and along the mountain ridges are dense clusters of megalithic monuments, which came to be revered by the Gedeo and cared for by their elders.