Story
King Gebre Meskel Lalibela of the Zagwe dynasty set out to build a New Jerusalem so pilgrims would not need to travel to the Holy Land.
Workers carved downward into volcanic tuff, freeing whole buildings from the mountain and connecting them with trenches, tunnels and passageways.
Today, thousands of pilgrims dressed in white gather here for Genna (Ethiopian Christmas), filling the stone courtyards with chant and candlelight.
History · Timeline
- c. 1181King Lalibela begins his reign
- c. 1220Bete Giyorgis completed
- 1978Declared UNESCO World Heritage
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