Ethiopian Rock-hewn & Cave Churches

Rock hewn churches of Tigray, ETHIOPIA

While the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela are the most dramatic buildings, the cliff churches of Tigray show the most dramatic landscapes and the longest Christian tradition. Unknown to the world outside, these churches were first described by the British explorer Ivy Pearce as ‘the greatest of the historical-cultural heritages of the Ethiopian people’. It was not until some 4 decades ago that there were some 200 rock hewn churches, and even more may still be unknown. Most better-known churches are found in the following clusters: Gheralta, Taka Tesfay, Atsbi, Tembien and Wukro. The churches are usually semi-monolithic – a part is cut out of rock, while another part is built with masoned rocks – or hewn out of caves. Many of them relatively easily accessible, but some can only be reached by climbing up difficult terrain or even a cliff. Being hidden in mountainous areas, the many of these churches are in surroundings of breathtaking landscapes. Usually rather primitive in design, many of the churches have some classics inspired columns and they usually are divided into three spaces: The most holy part, only accessible to the priest, where a replica of the stone tablet with the 10 commandments – is kept; The inner ambulatory, which is used by communicants at mass; and the outer ambulatory, which is accessible to anyone. While the ages of the churches are usually unknown they seem to predate those at Lalibela, though few churches in Tigray are as immediately impressive as the ones in Lalibela.

Rock hewn churches of Lalibela , ETHIOPIA

While many spectacular churches have been constructed in Ethiopia, perhaps the country’s most famous churches are the ones carved out of stone. Located 150 miles south of Aksum, Lalibela is the best example of Ethiopia’s hypogean (rock-hewn) architectural tradition. With 11 rock-hewn churches, Lalibela is understandably a place of pilgrimage for those in the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church. The site Lalibela was originally called Roha, but it eventually took the name of King Lalibela, who ruled around 1200 C.E. as part of the Zagwe dynasty. King Lalibela is traditionally attributed as the builder of all the churches at the site.

Lalibela’s 11 churches are carved out of hillside, which is made of soft reddish volcanic rock. The churches can be divided into two complexes—a northern and a southeastern complex—that are connected through a series of carved passageways and naturally occurring wadis. Six churches are featured in the northern complex and four in the southeastern complex. The 11th church—Beta Giyorgis (Church of St. George)—stands alone and is not part of either interconnecting complex.

The northern complex is composed of:

(1) Beta Madhane Alem (Church of the Savior of the World)

(2) Beta Maryam (Church of Mary)

(3) Beta Masqal (Church of the Cross)

(4) Beta Danagel (Church of the Virgins)

(5) Beta Mika’el (Church of Michael)

(6) Beta Golgotha (Church of Golgotha)

The southeastern complex consists of:

(7) Beta Emmanuel (Church of Emmanuel)

(8) Beta Abba Libanos (Church of Father Libanos)

(9) Beta Merkurios (Church of Mercurius)

(10) Beta Gabriel and Beta Rafa’el (the twin churches of Gabriel and Raphael)

Located west of the other complexes, the final—and most famous—rock-hewn church of Lalibela is (11) Beta Giyorgis (Church of St. George. Shaped like a cross, Beta Giyorgis sits on a stepped platform inside a 72-by-72-foot courtyard that is 36 feet deep. Originally, it was accessible only from the west by means of a long approach—measuring nearly 100 feet—that led uphill and connected the church to the wadi below