|
| |
| Home : Historical North |
| |
Ethiopia - Historical North
Lalibela: Rock of Ages
 Lalibela is not much more than a village, scarcely visible against the horizon dominated by the 4,200 metre peak of Mount Abune Yosef. Formerly known as Roha it now bears the name of King Lalibela (1181-1221), whose legacy to Ethiopia and indeed the world was eleven rock-hewn churches - often referred to as the Eighth Wonder of the World.
Said to be the work of angels, these towering edifices were hewn out of the solid, red volcanic tuff on which they stand. In consequence, they seem to be of superhuman creation - in scale, in workmanship and in concept. Some lie almost completely hidden in deep trenches, while others stand in open quarried caves. A complex of bewildering labyrinth of tunnels and narrow passageways with offsets crypts, grottoes and galleries connects them all - a cool, lichen-enshrouded. subterranean world, shaded and damp, silent but for the faint echoes of distant  footfalls as priests and deacons go about their timeless business.
Although the individual dimensions and configurations of the five freestanding structures differ immensely, these churches are all built from great blocks of stone, sculptured to resemble normal buildings and wholly isolated within deep courtyards. One is amazed at the technical skill, the material resources and the continuity of effort, which such vast undertakings imply.
A deep square pool in the courtyard of Bete Medhane Alem - the House of the Lord - is said to have miraculous properties, and infertile women dip themselves in the algae-covered waters at certain times of the year.
One day is not enough to experience all the wonders of Lalibela. Those who are physically fit may wish to trek to the top of the nearby mountain to view another rock-hewn church called Asheton Mariam, Another trek is to Na'akuto church, built in a cave on the far side of the same mountain. The less fit may opt for the back of mule as a means of transportation. These churches are wonderful and whatever the transportation mode may be, the journey up the mountain and back is a true adventure.
|
| |
|
| 