a slide show on www.mabot.com <<< part 9 >>>

Carved from the Solid
(the churches in Lalibela)

In the 12th century Prince Lalibela, in a drugged dream, recieved instructions to build a replica of Jerusalem with these unique churches in the capital Roha. The result is a set of 11 churches carved from solid rock, including some completely free-standing ones, a feature unique to this region of Ethiopia. The town's river was re-named the Jordan, and later the town was named for King Lalibela, the only member of the Zagwe dynasty to appear recognisably on the official list of kings once the Solomic dynasy regained power soon afterwards.

I had only 3 days in the town, and could have stayed a week. Apart from the churches in town, there are a large number scattered over the whole region. I don't remember the names of all the churches, which were in the Bradt book I borrowed from Chris. And I hope I got the story above straight mostly from memory!

	Flying from Gonder saved 3 days on a bus - a good deal for $50! A rather unremarkable town (apart from the churches, that is!)
Views from the walk up to the Aseton monestary		Inside the Asheton moneastary

Bieta Giorgis

The most impressive of the churches from outside, Giorgis stands alone at the bottom of town. It is one of the few not obscured by scaffold and a protective roof.

The unique cross-shaped plan		Early morning prayers.
Noon is the only time to get the whole church sunlit.	A walk down a long sloping trench and through a tunnel brings you down to the base level and into the church

The Western Cluster

A set of six churches in and around various courtyards, including the largest, Bieta Mariam. From about 5 until 7am each morning there were long, complicated services in Bieta Mariam, dripping with atmosphere.

Bieta Mariam, rectangular in plan.	Some of the pillars must have collapsed at some stage, and have been replaced with blocks of the same stone.	An impressive sense of space
Pre-dawn service: reading, chanting, singing		Early morning gathering in one of the courtyards
	One of the smallest churches had an amazing ceremony with drums, but not at all 'African' sounding

on to the Easten Cluster and back to Addis Ababa. >>>