NATIONAL PARKS SAFARIS ETHIOPIA

HIGHLIGHTS, WHERE THEY ARE AND HOW TO VISIT

WHAT IS FASILIDES' CASTLE, GONDAR, ETHIOPA?

Facilides' Castle is the most impressive masoned building south of the Sahara; built for the emperor who founded Gondar in 1636.

Emperor Fasilides' Castle, Gondar

Born in 1603, Fasilides was crowned in 1632, after his father Susenyos had abdicated after a revolt to his converting to Roman Catholism.  Once Emperor, Fasilides restored the status of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church as state religion as well as the relationship with the Egyptian Orthodox Church, while confiscating possessions of the Jesuits and banning them from his empire.

A picture is worth a thousand words. Most of our hundreds of pictures are favored in Google! Why? Because no other website has so many beautiful high resolution pictures, taken by ourselves. Our pictures not only show you the beauty of Ethiopia, but they also show that we go everywhere, photographing wildlife, plants, people and culture. They show our professionalism, our keen eye for detail and our passion for the culture and nature of Ethiopia. So why consider booking our our Ethiopia Culture & National Parks modules? Because we don't mislead you like many tour operators do. When the Blue Nile falls are dry.... we tell you. When fog clouds the lava lake of Erte Ale? We let you know. Just drop us a mail and we will check it out for you.

Our tours take you to ALL famous cultural places of Ethiopia, and on top of that, you get to see up to 12 large nature reserves accompanied by a conservation forester. There is nothing similar on the market.

As Ethiopia can be combined with other East African countries, we organize tours in modules. Destinations Overview: Historical Circuit; Danakil Depression; Eastern Route; Simien Mountains; Bale Mountains; Southern Parks Safari; Gambella; Addis Ababa. BUT WAIT: if you buy your international ticket with Ethiopia Airlines, they will sell the internal flights at a price that you can't even ride the bus for. But you MUST plan it all in one package and making changes may be very costly. So let us help you plan your entire trip and book your local flights for an incredibly low price after you booked your international flight with Ethiopian Airlines!

Founding Gondar in 1636, and declaring it Ethiopia's capital, he commissioned its first palace, Fasilides' Castle, Gondar. Other buildings from his reign include the following churches in Gondar: Adababay Iyasus, Adababay Tekle Haymanot, Atatami Mikael, Gimjabet Maryam, Fit Mikael, and Fit Abbo; as well as the Cathedral Church of St Mary of Zion at Axum. He also commissioned the building of Fasilides' Bath and the construction of 7 stone bridges.

Fasilides remains were mummified and are kept at St. Stephen's monastery on Daga Island in Lake Tana. together with Fasilides' seven-year-old son Isur, who was crushed in a crowd paying homage to the new king.

The first castle built in the late 1630s, Fasilides' Castle, also know as Enqulal Gemb or Egg Castle for the egg-shaped domed roofs of its corner towers, stands in a grassy compound surrounded by later palaces and castles. With its huge towers and looming battlemented walls.

With three levels plus and additional 2 levels in the main tower, its battlemented walls, the impressive castle resembles a piece of medieval Europe in Ethiopia.  The ground level includes a dining room and a reception room, the next level had a religious function and included a chapel for praying, while the top level had a great view over the city.

The castle stands in a grassy compound within the walled palace complex in Gondar.

The Castle - also referred to as Enqulal Gemb (Egg Castle, for its egg-shaped roofs on the towers).

Facade of Fasilides' Castle.

Stairways into Fasilides' Castle.

Top left and left: Dining room at Fasilides' Castle.

Top right: Connection between the Reception Hall and the Dining Room.

Archway in Enqulal Gemb or Egg-Castle.

Main doors dining room Emperor Fasilides' Castle, Gondar.

Fasilidas' Castle is part of this fabulous travel itinerary:

Ethiopia modernizes and changes more rapidly than any other country in Africa. Many features may not be there anymore in the near future. If you want to see it the way it was for thousands of years, see it now before it has changed forever! Compose your own once-in-a-lifetime Ethiopia-Africa-Adventure from our affordable modules:

Famous Ethiopia Historical Circuit

Simien Mountains trek or car visit

Danakil Depression and Erte Ale Volcano Expedition

Awash Babile Harar Safari Tour

Ethiopia Central and Southern Parks & Tribes Safari Tour

Bale Mountains National Park and Sof Omar Caves Tour

Gambella National Park Safari

Addis Ababa City Tour & Airport Transfer

All Ethiopia modules and prices together

We designed our itineraries in such a way that you can compose a 1 to 4 weeks journey from different modules that can show you the entire country or just the parts that interest you, all depending on your personal preferences, available time and budget. Email us on your interests and we can discuss a custom program with you by phone (we have phone lines from the USA and Europe) or skype. So, weather you have a great ethnic affinity, are a birdwatcher or want to go on safari, contact us and we work out a customized program that focuses on YOUR interests.

Addis Ababa Bole International Airport is home of Ethiopian Airlines, featuring Africa's youngest fleet of the latest intercontinental jet airplanes - including 2 Dreamliners - as well as short-distance Bombardier turboprops for affordable and reliable in-country flights servicing all major cities of Ethiopia. The best airline of Africa, will fly you non-stop from the USA and Europe to Addis Ababa. Take our 1-week Ethiopia Cultural Monuments Tour and then continue for your Kenya or Tanzania safari - or any other East African capital - thus completing your journey. IF YOU BUY YOUR INTERNATIONAL TICKET FROM ETHIOPIAN AIRLINES, YOU WILL GET MOST INTERNAL FLIGHTS FOR $40 - $70 PER LEG! BUT CHANGING AFTERWARDS IS EXPENSIVE, SO WORK OUT A SCHEDULE WITH US TO GET A FABULOUS DEAL FOR FLYING THROUGH THE COUNTRY IN STEAD OF SPENDING ENDLESS TIME ON THE ROAD!!!

FASILIDES' CASTLE, GONDAR, ETHIOPA