Lalibela rock hewn churches - the Southern cluster

view from Ben Abeba restaurant 

 We are on our way back from Yemrehane Christos monastery, 2700 metres up in beautiful isolation north east of Lalibela. We came by coach and climbed the 195 steps up through lovely Juniper forest to the monastery.

It is apparently possible to visit by mule from Lalibela, a 10-12 hour round trip if you feel inclined, or would be unable to manage the steps.

traditional coffee making at Ben Abeba

This afternoon we will be visiting the five churches in the second, South Eastern cluster, of Lalibela rock hewn churches. But first we have lunch at the extraordinary Ben Abeba restaurant high up atop a hill on the outskirts of Lalibela - a wonderful experience - excellent food, veggie friendly and hosted by the Scottish lady who set this up a few years ago with an Ethiopian business partner. It looks like a witch's hat as we approach, with a multi layered decking construction, surrounded by very pretty gardens with lots of different sitting out areas, and amazing views all around.   

The restaurant put on a fabulous buffet spread for our group at lunchtime.

I usually confine my restaurant reviews to Trip Adviser but this one is so special I think it deserves a mention here.

And so on to the churches.

Bet Giyorgis

Bet Giyorgis in its trench

with the priest inside Bet Giyorgis

We start with the totally iconic monolithic Bet Giyorgis - the church seen on all the publicity and tourist brochures for the area. It is for this reason, I guess, that it has escaped being covered by one of the rather hideous protective roof shelters which so obscure the views and photo opportunities of the other churches - but which are necessary to protect these extraordinary buildings from further decay. 

This church has been excavated out of the rock to a depth of 15 metres or so, in the shape of a cross, sitting in its own sunken courtyard with vertical walls. Dramatic from the outside, less so inside, but it has a great atmosphere if you are able to experience it between tour groups.

inside Bet Mercurios

From here we make our way to Bet Gebriel-Rafael, more like a fortress than a church, which we approach over a wooden walkway. Indeed, with Bet Mercurios, which we visit next, this may well have been first a fortified palace, perhaps carved originally as the palace for King Lalibela.

Bet Emanuel

The brave among us stoop to go through a pitch black tunnel from Bet Gebriel-Rafael to Bet Mercurios but there is an alternative route! However I would recommend braving the tunnel to gain the full atmosphere of the visit - the guides are well equipped with torches!Bet Mercurios has some wonderful fifteenth century wall paintings, as well as some iron shackles which indicate its possible early role as a prison. Saint Mercurios was a third century Coptic saint, tortured and beheaded for his Christian faith.

some of those steep and rocky steps

Some very steep steps take us down to the Bet Emanuel, the most elegant church of them all in Lalibela. Its appearance reminds us of the Yemrehane Christos monastery style of layered wood and stone.

Bet Abba Libanos

Finally we make our way to Bet Abba Libanos, built, legend tells us, by King Lalibela's wife in one night, with the assistance of angels. Sadly we are approaching closing time and our visit is rushed. The priest wants to go home and soon we are also making our way back to our hotel, for a prayer meeting and supper at the Lalibela Cultural Centre.

our shoes are well looked after and
ready for us with willing hand as well

pilgrims walk for miles, from all directions, to Na'akuto
La'ab for the feast day service

The next day is a special feast day at Na'akuto La'ab and we will see this at first hand - this will be an extraordinary experience and one certainly not to be missed - we will then go on to explore the mountain top church of Asheton Mariam at 3200 metres - even higher than we have been today - and join in the liturgy there. That also is a moving and spiritual experience for some of us.

Eighth wonder of the world - Lalibela Rock Hewn churches

 Eighth wonder of the world - UNESCO world heritage site since 1978 - created as the New Jerusalem by King Lalibela more than 800 years ago 

House of the Saviour of the World
Bet Medhane Alem
Reputedly the world's largest rock hewn church

pilgrims coming away from Bet Medhane Adem

impressive outside of Bet Medhane Alem

inside Bet Medhane Alem

Church of St Mary windows symbolizing the three crosses
at Golgotha 

Inside Church of St Mary

Church of St Mary veiled pillar inscribed
with Ten Commandments and description of how
churches built - access denied!

Ethiopian embroidering his white robe

the eleven rock hewn churches of Lalibela are thought by many to be the most impressive historical sites anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa.

Imagine a solid volcanic mountain, and then imagine boring down into that rock to carve out a free standing subterranean block, 

then imagine this block being further bored out from the inside to create a church, with pillars, arches, carvings - so that it is left standing with its roof at ground level, surrounded on all sides by a deep trench. Furthermore, this church is connected to the other churches cut into the same rock by a series of further trenches and underground tunnels. 

These are the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela.

priest with processional cross 

This is a Holy site, spread over about 15 hectares to the south of the small town of Lalibela, the churches split into three groups. From their original construction, the churches in this group (some have arguably been royal palaces or prisons) have been at the centre of Lalibela's spiritual Christian life, where something like 10% of the population are priests.

And now the tourists have arrived, conspiring, along with the weather, to destroy these wonderful sites. 

navigating the ledges between House of the
Cross and Mikael-Golgotha

 

Tourists must be a mixed blessing 

they do after all bring cash into the region. But the weather is a different matter, and in an attempt to protect the churches from further erosion, most are covered by fairly hideous canopies, practical indeed, but doing nothing for the appearance of the places they seek to protect.

Cruciform pillars in Bet Mikael
note "angel eye" carvings either side of
the cross

Prepare for some tough walking between the churches, with some steep and rough steps and one dark tunnel (there is an alternative route if you must) - so wear good strong shoes with adequate grip, and prepare to leave these at the door to each church as you enter. When you come out of a different exit, there you will find your shoes again, beautifully lined up by the "shoe keepers", and ready to put on until the next church.   

Tomb of Adam at exit of Mikael/Golgotha
courtyard

the distinctive traditional two storey circular
stone houses of the area around the
churches

There is a very biblical atmosphere to the place. King Lalibela is also now regarded as one of Ethiopia's most important saints. The day we visited was his feast day and we were rewarded by the sight of many priests and others making their pilgrimage to the churches for a blessing. Many people will walk miles, sometimes for days, sometimes across the mountains, and barefoot, to come to churches for important feast days. We experience this for ourselves in an amazing way in a couple of days time...

To all my readers have a very joyous and peaceful Christmas and read more about this incredible trip as my story continues over the next few weeks into the New Year...