Lalibela Ethiopia: The Unreal City of Rock Churches
Lalibela is the name of a town in northern Ethiopia, famous for monolithic rock-cut churches. Lalibela is also the name of one king of medieval Ethiopia who had these churches built during his reign. The eleven monolithic churches are carved out of volcanic tuff basalt and have been dated by carbon 14 to be from the 12th century. They are carved out of solid rock without any mortar; many with symmetrical designs.
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Lalibela is one of UNESCO's world heritage sites
It is one of Ethiopia's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The town has a population of 11,730 from 1994 figures and is inhabited by members of Beta Israel who are known as Ethiopian Jews.
Lalibela is
considered by many to be one of the holiest cities in Ethiopia. It has been a center
for pilgrimage and for the arts since it was built during the 12th century AD.
Lalibela, which means ‘the city of God’, was named after King Lalibela who
reigned at that time. The town lies within what is known as Ethiopia’s sacred
heartland an area dotted with churches and monasteries. These remarkable
buildings stand as monuments.
If you ever travel to Ethiopia, chances are you’ll visit Lalibela and see these remarkable churches with your own eyes.
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| Church of Amanuel, Lalibela |
Emperor Lalibela
But how did they get there? How did the people of Lalibela create such majestic structures?
It all
started with King Lalibela: a visionary leader who wanted to build a sanctuary
for God and his followers. He was inspired by Solomon’s temple and wanted to
create something even more beautiful.
If faith is
a mystery, there are few places in the Christian world where the mystery is
deeper than in Lalibela. 800 years ago, an Ethiopian king ordered a new capital
for Christians. At 8,000 feet, on the central plateau of Ethiopia stand 11
churches, each carved from a single, gigantic, block of stone. No bricks, no
mortar, no concrete, no lumber, just rock sculpted into architecture.
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| Tourists visiting Lalibela |
Lalibela is one of the top 5 tourist sites in Ethiopia
The Ethiopian government has designated Lalibela as one of its five main tourism destinations. Lalibela is the most popular tourist destination in Ethiopia. Tourists from all over the world visiting Ethiopia make it a point to visit Lalibela and witness such fascinating historical architecture with their own eyes.
Lalibela is a wonderful small town that has much to offer. If you ever find yourself in the area, we highly recommend coming and exploring. We hope you enjoyed this post. Please like, comment and share this post.
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| Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrating holiday at Lalibela |
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