Legacies from the Past: UNESCO World Heritage-ETHIOPIA

UNESCO’s world heritage states “Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration.” These Places as unique and diverse as the wilds of East Africa’s Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our world’s heritage.

What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application. World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world, irrespective of the territory on which they are located. Here is the legacy contribution of Ethiopia to the world.

Lalibela (Date of Inscription: 1978)

The small town of Lalibela sits 2630m high in the mountains of the Amhara region. Lalibela is the home of 13 rock-hewn churches standing on soft volcanic rock, regarded as one of Ethiopia’s greatest architectural wonders and ranked 8^th most incredible historical site of the world by the UNESCO.

The churches (meant to represent Jerusalem), are all cut out of red volcanic rock and divided into Northern and Eastern groups by a rock-cut channel (river) called Yordannos (Jordan River) and connected by narrow and deep passages. BietaMedhaneAlem is the largest of the monolithic churches. Bieta Giyorgis (Saint George), situated apart from the other churches to the west, is particularly stunning and beautiful, intricately carved into the shape of a cross.

All the churches are still used as places of worship and form part of the spiritual center of the town. If visiting in the morning one can see white-robed hermits, with bible in hand, emerging from their cells and can hear drumbeats and soft chants adorning the chilly morning air.

Axum (Date of Inscription: 1980)

The ancient city of Axum (also spelt Aksum), siting at an elevation of 2130m on the Tigrayan plateau,  symbolizes the wealth and importance of the civilization of the ancient Aksumite kingdom, which lasted from the 1st to the 8th centuries AD.

With the introduction of Christianity, Saint Mary of Zion church was constructed which is believed to hold the original Arc of the Covenant. The city hosts the countries first Orthodox church and boasts many astonishing archeological relicts. These range from the skyscraping stelae, dating between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, dank subterranean catacombs, ancient multilingual tablets and a swimming pool traditionally associated with the legendary Queen Sheba.

The ruins of the ancient Aksumite Civilization, most striking monuments are the monolithic obelisks, royal tombs and the palace ruins dating to the 6th and 7th centuries AD. The largest standing obelisk rises to a height of over 23 meters and is superbly carved to represent a nine-story building of the Aksumites. The largest obelisk of some 33 meters long lies where it fell, possibly the largest monolithic stele that ancient human beings ever attempted to erect.

Semen Mountain National Park(Date of Inscription: 1978)

Created by massive erosion over the years on the Ethiopian plateau, one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world is found within Semen Mountain National Park. The terrain is bursting with jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys, sharp precipices dropping some 1,500m and peaks recorded above 4000m. Among them is the highest mountain in Ethiopia, Ras Dashen.

Created by massive erosion over the years on the Ethiopian plateau, one of the most spectacular landscapes in the world is found within Semen Mountain National Park. The terrain is bursting with jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys, sharp precipices dropping some 1,500m and peaks recorded above 4000m. Among them is the highest mountain in Ethiopia, Ras Dashen.

Additionally, the park is of global significance for biodiversity conservation as it is home to some extremely rare wildlife such as the Ethiopian wolf, Gelada baboon, the Semen fox and the Walia ibex, a goat found nowhere else in the world. The astounding scenery, the abundant endemic wildlife, the unique fauna make the park Ethiopia’s most popular hiking and trekking destination.

FassilGhebbi (Date of Inscription: 1979)

FassilGhebbi(meaning ‘fassil compound’ in the Amharic language) is found in the heart of the city of Gondar. The compound is founded on a 7 hectare stone wall enclosure containing six stone castles and several minor buildings. Some of the most significant are:

Fasilidas’sCastle built by Emperor Fasilidas in 1640 and restored between 1999 and 2002. The castle holds a reception area and dining area on the first floor, Fasilidas’s prayer room on the second floor and a small upper room used as sleeping quarters. The watchtower like platform at the top offers views as far as Lake Tana on a clear day.

Yohannes’s library and archive built by Emperor Yohannes between 1667 and 1682. The library is a two story building with cross shaped windows and arched doors. Although the building is closed to the public, it is still a beautiful sight to behold. Iyasu’s Castle built by Iyasu the Great between 1682 and 1706. The castle is one of the largest in the compound. Along-side the castle is a three-room sauna and a raised walkway connecting it to Fasilidas’s castle. The rest of the buildings include churches, monasteries and unique public and private buildings marked by Hindu and Arab influences.

Lower Valley of the Awash (Date of Inscription: 1980)

Located 300 km northeast of Addis Ababa, in the west of the Afar Depression, the Awash valley contains one of the most important groupings of paleontological sites on the African continent, with discoveries dating as far back as 4 million years.

The most spectacular discovery came in 1974, when 52 fragments of a skeleton enabled the famous ‘Lucy’, dating back 3.2 million years, to be reconstructed. Lucy’s bones are preserved and kept in the archives of the national museum in Addis Ababa.

In recent times a female skeleton nicknamed ‘Ardi’, aging 4.4 million years was recovered in the Awash Valley. It is the most complete early hominid specimen, with most of the skull, teeth, pelvis, hands and feet present.

Harar Jugol (Date of Inscription: 2006)

The Fortified Historic Town of Harar is located on the eastern part of Ethiopia. It is the 4^th Holiest City of Islam housing 82 mosques, three of which date as far back as the 10th century, and 102 shrines. The walls surrounding this sacred city were built between the 13th and 16th centuries.

The uniqueness of the town also comes from the townhouses with exceptional interior design and the influence of African and Islamic tradition on the overall development of the town. From the late 16th century to the 19th century, Harar grew into a crossroad for commerce between Africa, India, the Middle East and a location for Islamic learning.

Tiya (Date of Inscription: 1980)

Tiya is found south of Addis Ababa in the Soddo Region. The site contains 36 monuments, including 32 carved stelae bearing decorative symbols, most of which are difficult to decipher. Remarkably little is known about the Tiya stelae, beyond descriptions of their physical appearance. As of 1997, 118 stelae were reported in the area, 46 of which can be found at Tiya. The monoliths at Tiya are taller than the stelae found elsewhere in the zone, with the tallest reaching over 16 feet (5 meters) high.

Several sets of remains have been found in the area, with the bodies dating to sometime between the 12^th and 14^th centuries. It appeared that the remains belonged to individuals who were killed in battle. As some say that the Tiya stones appear to be laid out like a row of headstones. there has been speculation that these are headstones of a mass burial for those killed in battle.

Konso Cultural Landscape (Date of Inscription: 2011)

Konso Cultural Landscape is a 55km² arid property located in the Konso highlands of Ethiopia. It is characterized by extensive dry stone terraces bearing witness to the untiring human struggle to use and harness the hard, dry and rocky environment.

The terraces are the main features of the Konso landscape and the hills are contoured with the dry stonewalls, which at places reach up to 5 meters in height. The settlements stretching back more than 400 years are adapted to the dry hostile environment. The site also features anthropomorphic wooden statues – which are a testimonial to funerary traditions that are on the verge of disappearing. The statues are grouped to represent respected members of their communities and particularly heroic events.

The settlement also houses stones called ‘daga-hela’, quarried, transported and erected through a ritual process, making the Konso one of the last megalithic people.Wooden anthropomorphic statues (waka), carved out of a hard wood and mimicking the deceased, can be seen erected as grave markers.

Lower Valley of the Omo(Date of Inscription: 1980)

Located in southwestern Ethiopia, the Lower Omo Valley extends over an area of 165 km2. It is home to eight different tribes including the Mursi, Suri, Nyangatom, Dizi and Me’enwhose. Total population is about 200,000.

The Lower Omo Valley is a spectacularly beautiful area with diverse ecosystems including grasslands, volcanic outcrops, and one of the few remaining ‘pristine’ riverine forests in semi-arid Africa, which supports a wide variety of wildlife.

The discovery of many fossils there, especially Homogracilis, has been of fundamental importance in the study of human evolution. Since 1966, scientific research has proved that the site significantly contributes to prominent archaeological, geological, paleo-anthropological and paleo-environmental studies.

In addition to the above-mentioned sites Ethiopia has 6 sites on the Tentative List awaiting consideration by the UNESCO. Ethiopia is rich with mesmerizing landscapes, diverse cultures and countless unique fauna and flora spread across 10 ecosystems. Read other articles on Ethiopia and plan your trip to visit the Land of Origins.

Source: UNESCO World Heritage Sites Website