The Rock Churches of Lalibela

by Ian Brow
Monday, 1st June 2009

Nestled amongst the highlands of Northern Ethiopia, the town of Lalibela is a destination for Orthodox Christian pilgrims drawn to its famed monolithic Churches.

Dated to the 12th and 13th centuries, but still actively used for worship, the Churches are each carved from a single piece of rock - either down into the ground, or into a hillside. The most well-known of the Churches is Bete Giyorgis1, or the Church of St. George, with its distinctive cross shape approximately 25m square, surrounded by deep trench walls. the rest image