Ethiopia is an ancient country, its unique cultural heritage, rich history and biodiversity are reflected in a story of nine UNESCO World Heritage sites
Here are some UNESCO listed sites that are essential during a stay or tour.
THE ROYAL CITY OF GONDAR !
Gondar ancient capital of Ethiopia is known and appreciated for its royal city called Fasil Ghébbi in which you can still admire many castles built by several Ethiopian kings: Fasilidas, Iyasou and Yohannes 1st.
A hotbed of culture and erudition, the city has kept many vestiges of its imperial past. You will discover the baths of Fasilidas, place of baptism of believers, the church Selasse and its superb frescoes, the ruins of castles and palaces with amazing architecture, mixture of European and local influence
HARAR JUGOL, A CITY FULL OF CHARM WHERE RIMBAUD LIVED !
Harar is an ancient city full of history, culture and religion. It is sometimes called the fourth holy city of Islam in the world by its large number of mosques (82 mosques). The city developed strongly under the influence of the Arab conquests from the 7th to the 11th after Jesus Christ, it has always been strongly influenced by Islam. It is still known today as the “city of 82 mosques”.
LALIBELA, THE BLACK JERUSALEM !
Ethiopia, the cradle of humanity is one of the first countries to have converted to Christianity, Lalibela is one of the major places of meditation for Orthodox Christians of Ethiopia. This monastic city called Black Jerusalem has superb monolithic churches from the thirteenth century carved directly into the rock.
THE ANCIENT FORTIFIED VILLAGES OF KONSO !
Ethiopia is a mosaic of cultures and traditions. At each steps of your trip, you will discover a new language, a new dance, a new food...
The peoples of the Omo valley (South of Ethiopia) whose rules of life come from another age illustrate this diversity of cultures impressively.
For exemple, as Mursis the Surmas practice modifications on their body, like ritual paintings and the wearing of labret for women. Both Hamers women and men have a very sharp sense of aesthetics and spend everyday hours to make beautiful. Women dress their bodies with oil and clay, they cover their hair with butter and clay and they wear many jewels. Men prefer the hairstyle, the most brave are those who defeated the enemy or shot a ferocious animal.
The villages of Konso also located in the Omo Valley, are listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
SIMIEN MOUNTAINS !
Situated just in the north of the equator, the country has few temperature variations during the year, it has a temperate climate. This temperate climate on the highlands and warm in the lowlands promotes the development of a very diverse fauna and flora.
The mountains of the Simien housting the National Park, located in the north of the Ethiopian Plateau, offer many peaks, including the highest peak Ras Dachan at 4620 meters above sea level.
In the park you can admire many unique and protected species such as the Walya Ibex (Abyssinian ibex), the Gelada monkeys, the Abyssinian Wolf and more than 130 bird species. The mountains of Simien are also home to many protected and rare Afro-alpine plants.
