Photogallery of Lalibela, Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, in North Wollo Zone, tourists can visit the miraculous city of Lalibela. Many consider this settlement an analog to Petra in Jordan. High mountains surround this settlement on all sides, safely protecting the territory from strong winds and hurricanes. Having visited this city, tourists often feel like they are in some beautiful, fairytale kingdom of the past. Every year, numerous guests visit this city to see the main sacred treasures of Lalibela, many of which date back to the 13th century. Besides curious tourists, there are always many pilgrims in this city that arrive here in order to visit local monasteries. There was a settlement on the site of modern Lalibela already during the reign of the Zagwe king Gebre Mesqel Lalibela at the end of the 12th and the beginning of the 13th century. The settlement had another name at that time – Roha. When the saint king visited Jerusalem, he became incredibly enthusiastic about founding a new settlement that would be a rival in beauty to the old Judaic region. This is the reason why many buildings in Lalibela are similar to the ones in Jerusalem. Moreover, many objects have Biblical names. Starting from the end of the 12th century and during the 13th century, Lalibela remained the capital of Ethiopia. During the reign of Saint Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, ten new churches were built in the city. They stood proudly along the coast of the “Ethiopian Jordan”. Skillful builders from Jerusalem together with local … Read further