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1. AKSUMITE ARCHITECTURE OR
AKSUM
Flourished in the region from the 4th century BC onward

2. Ethiopian architecture is one of the most monumental and unique in
the world and dates back to the high antiquity.
The first monuments of the human building activity – dolmens and
menhirs – are widely spread all over Sidama.

3. Between 1000 and 400 BC the tribes from South Arabia (where Sabean and
Minaean Kingdoms were prospering at those times) overflowed North-Eastern
Africa bringing the stone-building skills (dry masonry and stone carving) with
them.
Having mixed with aboriginal Kushites (Tigre and Amhara), they formed an
Ancient Ethiopian ethnos or so-called "Agazi people" (Ancient Greek used the name
'Ethiopians' for all Black Africans).
The capital city of Axum situated on a vast plateau was connected with the port of
Adulis (nowadays known as Zula).

4. Local totemic beliefs were replaced by Sabean culture and
worshipping to the Gods of the Moon (Almakah) and the Sun (Dzat
Badan).
Ethiopians hallowed temples and altars to these Gods. One of these
ancient temples ruins have been preserved in Yeha
Ancient temple
in Yeha

5. Barran Temple the home of the Goddess Almaqa'(Moon),the
inscriptions also mention Dhat Hameem (Sun) and Athter (Blossom)
Throne of Queen Sheba
- Barran Temple

6. An independent state of Axum dominated over the Red Sea area since the I-II'nd
century AD and got control over Nubia and Arabia;
Their rulers got the title of the kings of Axum, Sab, Himyar and others, minted
their own coins and carried on sea trade with faraway countries (Iran, India).
The political power of Axum reached the peak in the IV'th century. A very unique
independent culture has formed in the country by that time.

7. .
They erected palaces and temples, built dams and water reservoirs, constructed
solid memorial steles and votive thrones of ashlar.
In the building art Axumites left their Sabean teachers far behind

8. And the steles with relief that copied a peculiar wall masonry technique – a kind of
rostwerk where the stone rows are pierced with wooden ties through the length and
breadth.
The transversal ties rounded ends come out of the rough façade surface as huge nail
heads. The building basements, supporting walls and water basin covering were
made of ashlar in regular dry masonry.

9. Ta'akha Maryam
Royal palace
The biggest palace was Takha Mariam with the area of 85 x 120 m that had
inside yards and hundreds of halls.
A huge stone statue was standing at the entrance. It was three times as big as
a natural figure (a pedestal has preserved with the footprints).

11. The step wall profile sectioned with perches and pilaster-strips, tower-like pilaster
sides, square of profiled columns outline are characteristic of Axum constructions.
Multi-storied palaces were hardly inferior to Arabian Gudman as to its decorations
luxury
Two other palaces – Enda-Semon and Enda-Michael having the square plan
didn't have the yard and were much smaller than the first one (Enda-Michael
was about 30 x 30 m).

12. The most wonderful things in Axum are one-piece stone steles spread over
ancient necropolises of the city and its outskirts. Only some of them have
preserved but not the highest ones. But even they strike our imagination. Steles
group in three districts of the town.
.

13. Only one of them rises undamaged to its 23-meter height. Another one was
taken to Rome and placed in front of Constantine Arch. The third one that
is 12-storied and 37 meters high now lies here broken to pieces

14. The most significant necropolis starts North from the sacred quarter of
Dabtara and stretches chain-like to the North-East; another group, that is of
less significance, is South-West from the town; the steles of the third small
group are concentrated at the entrance leading to Adua. Ancient Egyptian
obelisks are no match to the Axum steles.

15. In the 340s, long before Imperial Rome, Axum adopted Christianity for its
official religion. Pagan temples were destroyed and churches were erected over
them.
Church of Maria of Zion inside Axum sacred fence

16. Nowadays it is a three-nave Basilica of the XVII'th century but originally it
seemed to be five-nave.
The cathedral rises up on an ancient platform; only the remains of flower pattern
design carved in stone and zoomorphic water-tables were the only remains of the
old building found.
Stone lattices were set in the church windows (the remains of such lattice with the
cross pattern has been preserved in the window of the Church of Abba Pantaleon
near Axum):

17. A water tank is cut in the cliff at the North side of the town and the rainwater
coming from the slopes got and stored there. This tank provided water for the
town.
A water tank

18. Monasteries appeared in hard-to-get places – on the islands of Lake Tan and on
the cliffs.

19. The Monastery of Debra Damo is placed on a remote steep plateau where you can
get only by a rope. It is due to that fact that this very interesting monument of
Early Mediaeval times – the monastery church has survived.
The construction is in the western part of the plateau with the monks' cells,
Father Superior's dwelling, school and water tank cut in the cliff scattered all
over it.

20. The church constructions make Debra Damo architecture ikonic to the ancient
architecture of Axum.
The walls with irregular masonry of hand-placed clay stone are reinforced
every 50-60 cm from inside and outside with the longitudinal wooden baulks
making a rotswerk masonry together with transverse bracing.
Debra Damo

21. The doors can turn round due to special joints behind the porch.
A part of this simple construction – the rail with a very simple pattern (a scratch
and a roller), canopies with dowels imitations, prominent bracing heads
reminding enormous nails heads
– they all make architecture plastic and expressive.
The building corners are made of hewn slabs and the base made of natural stone
is about 1.5 m deep and reaches the rock foundation

22. Lalibela is a town located in the heart of the Ethiopian plateau and is known
for the presence of several buildings, mostly churches, built by carving a single
huge block of rock, without adding any external building materials like bricks
or concrete.

25. The interiors of the monolithic churches are finely decorated. Everything,
including rooms, columns, arches, capitals and reliefs are all made by just
carving a huge block of rock. Just amazing

26. The church of Bet Giorgis (St George), is perhaps the most famous rock carved
church of Lalibela, for its suggestive shape looking like a Greek cross.
The church has been obtained by digging down the mountain, removing an
enormous amount of rock.

30. Bet Amanuel (Emmanuel House) having a characteristic and very elaborate
facade.
Unfortunately, to protect rock churches from the elements, horrible roofs
supported by metal poles have been built

31. Royal Citadel (or Royal Enclosure / Fasil Ghebbi) dated back to the
seventeenth century.
It was the ancient house of the emperors and the site is included in the
UNESCO list of historical interest

32. The whole complex of Gondar Royal Citadel consists of a series of palaces and
castles, sometimes inaccurately called the "Castle of Gondar"or "Castles of
Gondar".

33. Debre Berhan Selassie church, known for its splendid frescoes and paintings
contained inside.

38. monastery of Ura Kidane Meret,