The northern Ethiopia ancient city of Axum, regarded as the cradle of Ethiopian culture and Christianity, is the country's oldest extant urban settlement. From around 200 BC to 700 AD, even Axum was the seat of an empire that extended across the Red Sea to Arabia, traded with India and China, had its own alphabet, constructed great engineering works and which, in the 4th century, was one of the four great powers of the world.

After its conversion to Christianity, early in the fourth century, Axum also emerged as an important religious centre, site of the country's most important and revered Church of St Mary of Zion, which, according to Ethiopian tradition, is the repository of the biblical Ark of the Covenant.

Once the capital and a major religious center, it remains the site of quite startling antiquities; the 2000 years old mysterious monolithic stelae, hewn from single pieces of solid granite and carved to resemble multi-story houses, ever worked on by humanity anywhere in the world; subterranean stone tombs high enough to walk in; several palaces including ruins of the legendary Queen of Sheba's palace and bath; special gold-silver-and-bronze currencies; multilingual tablets dating from the time of Christ – and much more besides.

Bahir Dar, 578 km north of the capital, accessible by road and air daily, is located on the southern shore of Lake Tana close to the Nile outlet.

Kebran Gabriel: is renowned for a magnificent manuscript to the Four Gospels which is believed to date back to at least the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century.
Ura Kidane Mehret: is more decorative with a huge, conical thatched roof is painted with scenes from Biblical lore.

Daga Istifanos: is considered one of the most sacred on Lake Tana, and said to have served as a temporary hiding place for the Ark of the Covenant. On this stands the church of Saint Stifanos which houses the Holly Madonna painted around 1434. The real historic interest lies in its treasury where there are glass-sided coffins containing the mummified remains of several of the former emperors of Ethiopia.

Tana Cherkos: this ancient monastery is found on the eastern shore of the Lake. Tradition tells us that St. Mary rested here under a wall during her flight to Egypt, and stayed for three months and ten days. The monks claim that they owned a necklace which she left when she departed. It is also said that the monastery was a sacred place of the Jews. Menelik I and the Jewish nobles, after fleeing from King Solomon, brought the Ark of the covenant to this monastery and built a temple over it, which was decorated with precious stones. Six hundred years later, the Ark was brought to Axum.

The first Ethiopian Monastery, on an impressive amba surrounded by vertical walls. To reach Debre Damo, visitors have to climb up ropes thrown down by the monks above. Debre Damo is noted for ancient illuminated manuscripts, which are the oldest in the country, a great illuminated bible.

Gondar was founded by Emperor Fasilidas in the 17 th century and remained the capital of Ethiopia for the next two centuries. It's known for its many medieval castles and the design and decoration of its churches. Among the dozen edifices found on the precinct of the royal compound the earliest of the castles was created by Fasilidas himself and is still in such an excellent state of repair that it is still possible climb its stairs all the way to the roof which commands a breathtaking view over much of the city.

Besides the famous palaces the town is studded with several other points of interest, most notably; the fantastically decorated Church of Debre Berhan Selassie, with its remarkable ceiling decorated with winged angels; Bathing Palace of Emperor Fasilidas, which is used for the annual Timkat or Epiphany celebrations; the abbey of the redoubtable 18 th century Empress Mentewab at Qwesquam,

Standing on the east wall of the Great Rift Valley, the medieval walled Islamic city of Harar is famous for its historical and cultural sites. The dominant features are the traditional Harari house; the childhood home of late Emperor Haile Selassie; the exciting open market that presents medley of people and culture.

Things To see In Harar

The city walls
The city walls, and the narrow streets lined with traditional harari gegar houses.

RimbaudHouse
A fine traditional house dating from the period when the French poet Rimbaud lived in Harar.

The Hayena Men
As evening falls local men attract wild hyenas to the city in a bizarre spectacle as they bravely feed these dangerous scavengers

Perched at an altitude of 2630 m, among wild craggy mountains and vast rocky escarpments, Lalibela is a strikingly singular town famed for its 12 th century rock-hewn churches. No matter if you've visited other rock-hewn churches in the rest of the world; nothing will prepare you for these.

At the end of the 12 th and beginning of the 13 th centuries, King Lalibela of the Zaghwe dynasty built a series of rock hewn churches, carved into the rugged mountainsides. There are 11 churches in the town named after him, with others in the surrounding countryside.

The Lalibela churches are carved below ground level and they are ringed by trenches and courtyards and connected to each other by a tangled maze of tunnels and passages. In size and scope, the church complex feels like a subterranean village. These churches are, and what they have been for at least 800 years, an active Christian shrine, and the spiritual centre of a town's religious life.

The Scenery of Gheralta is spectacular. The view of graceful Mountain Gheralta and the far reaching Hawazien plain is a rare combination of extraordinary beauty. Gheralta, North - West of Mekele, the capital of Tigrai, is the home of a quarter of the churches, some famous for their stone workmanship, ancient paintings and old manuscripts, and others known for their magnificent view and difficult ascent. Such great churches as Abune Yemata (Guh), Mariam Korkor, Debresion (Abune Abraham), Yohannes Maequddi and Silasie Degum are in the very heart of Gheralta, Making it the home of rock churches of Tigrai.

The journey through Ethiopia’s historic route takes you on rough tracks. It is here that you may see the towering ruins of Yeha’s Temple. The oldest standing structure in Ethiopia is located in Yeha; it is a tower built in the Sabaean style, and dated to either the 8th or 7th century BC. Ethiopia’s historic route begins with a glance at the tantalizing remains of Yeha.The country’s earliest high civilization.