Lalibela – Praising Monolithic Churches
23-24 January 2018
A 40-minute southerly flight takes me over astonishing landscape from Aksum to the remarkable Amhara city of Lalibela. The view of the Simien Mountains, Tekezé River and 200 miles of rugged Ethiopia is amazing.
Tukul of Lalibela
The city of Lalibela is small, about 30,000 people, but one of the most important in all Ethiopia. There are hundreds of rock churches in Ethiopia, but Lalibela contains 11 monolithic churches (built of a single large block of stone). These 12th century churches are carved out of pink volcanic tufa which is softer than granite. As a group, the rock-hewn churches and surrounding tukul stone and grass huts have been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ethiopians look upon the entire city of Lalibela as a “sculpture” dedicated to the glory of God. (more…)
I leave green, fertile fields for dry, barren, rocky Tigray. If there is one thing this region has, it’s rocks: a plethora of rocks on top of rocks used for building and terracing. Oh, and an occasional camel.
Distances in Ethiopia are deceiving. This is a land of spectacular but rugged landscape, much of which looks like the Grand Canyon on steroids. The reports say there are over 20k miles of roads. However, that doesn’t mean they are all paved, lit, dual lane, wide enough for trucks and buses to pass, nor that drivers or animals follow any rules. Cows and goats have the right of way and they just don’t care that I may be in a hurry. One travel site warned about the presence of land mines on some of the more isolated roads. Ethiopia’s roads have never been easy, something the Italians found out when they thought they could easily conquer these noble people using roads better suited for donkeys than tanks, when it took days to go a few score of miles.
Traveling Ethiopia, I read and listen for opinions concerning this historical icon and controversial man. I know how I feel about Emperor Selassie. But how do Ethiopian’s view him?