This archive report was first published on 5 July 2019.
Located in the holy city of Lalibela, Ethiopia, the 11 rock-hewn churches are a breathtaking sight to behold. The churches, built over 23 years in the 12th Century, are a testament to the ingenuity and determination of the people who constructed them.
According to tour guide Abenezer Dereje, the churches were built by King Gebre Maskal Lalibela of the Zagwe Dynasty (1185-1225) after a dream. The history of these churches is incomplete, with some versions suggesting that they were built with the help of angels.
The churches are dedicated to Christ and his mission, God, saints, and archangels. They are Medhane Alem, Maskal, Golgotha, Mariam, and Emmanuel. The others are Biet Denghel, Micael, Giyorgis, Gabriel, Mercurios, and Abba Libanos.
Of the 11 churches, Biet Giyorgis (Church of St George) was the last to be built; it is a stand-alone and the most beautiful of the 11, according to Abenezer. St George is widely worshipped in Eastern and Western Christianity as the protector, and in Ethiopia, the St George's Holiday is marked on April 23.
President Emmanuel Macron visited St Giyorgis this year, and the church has become a major tourist attraction. Visitors are awestruck by the imagination, ingenuity, and determination that went into building these ancient structures.
The churches are decorated with various patterns drawn from the Bible and beyond. The interior is smaller than the exterior, but the intricate designs and carvings make up for the lack of space.
Accessing and exiting the churches is guided by tradition, practice, and norms. For example, shoes are not allowed into the enclosures, and tourists must remove their shoes before entering the churches.
The 'Road to Hell' is a four-minute walk through a pitch-dark alley that should give you a taste of what the real hell looks like, according to Abenezer. Through this hellish section, tourists feel the walls while holding on to the person ahead.
