Ethiopian Historic Attractions - Sunny Land Ethiopia Tours and Travel
Lalibela
Hundreds of miles to the south and east of Axum with daily Ethiopian Airlines flight from Addis Ababa, is another ancient settlement, Lalibela, which is also famous for its architecture. Lalibela is a city caved from legend – a medieval settlement in the Lasta area of wollo that is the site of king Lalibela in the late 12th or early 13th century. These notable structures are carved inside and outside the solid rock, and are considered among the wonders of the world. Each building is architecturally unique, and several of them are decorated with fascinating rock paintings. The unadulterated biblical atmosphere and vivid local colore of the Timket celebrations provided an ideal opportunity to see lalibela as a sacred centre whose roots go back to man’s very early years.
Harar
No journey along Ethiopia’s fabled historic route would be complete without a visit to the medieval walled city of Harar, which stands amid green mountains on the east wall of the Great Rift Valley. Harar’s heritage is almost entirely Muslim and Oriental.Harar has probably always had a great deal more in common with the Horn’s coastal culture than with the life of the highland – and it retains to this day a certain redolence of the Orient. The most dominant features, apart from its strong encircling wall, is its rich and exciting market place – probably the most colorful in Ethiopia. With its 90 mosques and shrines, harar is considered to be the fourth-most sacred centre of the Islamic word. Its Islamic character is best expressed in the Grand Mosquee (AL Jami), which dominates the town.Rightly renowned for its intricately worked filigree jewellary of silver, gold and amber, Harar’s Megalo Gudo market is also a centre for beautiful baskets of woven grass, decorative wall-mats and bright shawls, as well as all the fruits, vegetables, spices and granins of the province. Harar’s five gates – the only means to enter or leave the city center – have been strongly guarded over the years. The fully restored Rimbaud house is well worth a visit.
