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LALIBELA's ROCK HEWN CHURCHES IN ETHIOPIA TOUR

LALIBELA ROCK-HEWN CHURCHES, ETHIOPIA TOUR: King Lalibela constructed a 'New Jerusalem', after the Muslim conquests of the Holy Land halted Christian pilgrimage

Lalibela Rock Hewn Churches, Ethiopia

At a road distance of 682 km north of Addis Ababa, Lalibela is a small town at ± 2,600masl with an exclusively Christian population of about 20,000, famous rock-hewn churches, referred to as biete, bete or bet, meaning "house". Ethiopia's second holiest city, after Aksum, the Lalibela rock hewn churches a center of pilgrimage for all Christians belonging to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.

King Lalibela set out to construct a ‘New Jerusalem’, after the Muslim conquests of the Holy Land halted Christian pilgrimage to Jerusalem. While the construction periods of the churches are still subject to debate, most are thought having been in the 12th and 13th centuries.

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Carved out of volcanic tuff rock, the churches have been constructed in different styles: some stand in caves, while others are isolated blocks, like the Bete Giyorgis Church,  which is built in the shape of the cross. Several of the churches are decorated with interesting murals.  Many churches are connected by a system of drainage ditches, tunnels and subterranean passageways. Some scholars have estimated a workforce of 40,000 was required to build these churches probably has taken longer than the period of King Lalibela's reign to carve them out.  What makes these churches so special is that they are built from the top down where everywhere else in the world, buildings are constructed from the ground up.

They are set in 2 groups:

Westerm clusters of churches of Lalibela

• Bete Medhane Alem (House of the Saviour of the World), home to the Lalibela Cross and the word's largest monolithic church;

• Bete Maryam (House of Mary), the oldest church;

• Bete Golgotha Mikael (House of Golgotha Mikael), home to tomb of King Lalibela;

• Bete Maskal (House of the Cross);

• Bete Denagel (House of Virgins).

Eastern Group of Lalibela

• Biete Amanuel (House of Emmanuel);

• Biete Qeddus Mercoreus (House of St. Mercoreos);

• Biete Abba Libanos (House of Abbot Libanos);

• Biete Gabriel-Rufael (House of the angels Gabriel, and Raphael);

• Biete Lehem (Bethlehem).

Seperate Bete Giyorgis Church

• Bete Giyorgis (Church of Saint George), isolated from the others but connected by trenches has been hewn in the form of a cross.

These churches are not museums. Members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church have to go on a pilgrimage at least once in their lives, getting the same blessing as going to Jerusalem in the Holy Land. Many faithful will walk for days or weeks, to get there, making their way along Lalibela's winding, paths often through the rugged mountains, to worship God.  Since human memory and continuing to the present day, there are religious services in all churches every day, but they can be freely visited by tourists during the ceremonies. Frequently, there are funeral services in the morning that attract hundreds of people dressed in beautiful traditional white robes.

Away from Lalibelas are the Ashetan Maryam Monastery and the Yimrehane Kristos Church, both built in the Aksumite fashion inside a cave.

The original village of Lalibela consists of two storey round houses, built of red volcanic stone, and known as the Lasta Tukuls.

There is quite a variety of hotels in Lalibela but one stands out as it has been built in the shape of the local Tukuls, being Hotel Tukul.

The Lalibela monuments comprise the churches (Bete Giyorgis, left), the Tulkuls (above) and the church treasures having belonged to former both kings and the churches, now guarded and exhibited in a new museum (left).

Some of the churches, like Bete Mercoreus, are currently being restored, or rather fortified and protected from further erosion.

Bete Abba Libanos has been carved out of the face of a mountain in to a cave.

A huge roof protecting several of the Lalibela churches, like Bete Medhane Alem, from the eroding effects of the weather.

Bridge to the Bet Gabriel Rafael Church.

A layman receiving from a revered elderly non, recognizable by her yellow robe.

Funeral service in Lalibela.

The church complexes are all interconnected by trenches and tunnels, making it a most wonderful labyrinth for even the smallest children.

Ceremonial drums in Lalibela.

Chiseled column in church Lalibela.

Some of the churches have murals and carved plain or painted reliefs on walls and or ceilings.

Traditional Lalibela style houses are mostly round two-story houses with thatched roofs and a pot-shaped ceramic to tie the top thatch together.

Lalibela is a place of sanctity, with worshippers coming out of all corners of Ethiopia, priests praying in the churches or just sitting quietly in niches reading from the holy book or chanting to the tunes of an ancient music in the ancient celebrated in the Ge'ez language, which is no longer spoken and which only they can understand.

A fascinating labyrinth ceiled off by centuries old doors give access to the different rock churches at Lalibela.

This great travel itinerary includes Lalibela's rock hewn churches:

Daily comfortable affordable flights between Addis Ababa, Mek'ele, Axum and Lalibela with brand new Dornier Turbo Props.

LALIBELA's ROCK HEWN CHURCHES IN ETHIOPIA TOUR