Lalibela is a town in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. It is located in the Lasta district and North Wollo Zone. The town is famous for its rock-carved churches, which are different from earlier churches in Ethiopia. Lalibela is an important place for studying Ethiopia’s ancient, medieval, and later history. Some Christians consider Lalibela one of Ethiopia’s holiest cities and a place for religious pilgrimages.

Christianity was one of the first religions in Ethiopia, introduced in the early 400s. The churches in Lalibela were built between the 700s and 1300s. They are traditionally linked to the reign of King Gebre Meskel Lalibela, a ruler from the Zagwe (Agaw) people who lived around 1181–1221.

The layout and names of the main buildings in Lalibela are widely believed to represent Jerusalem. Some experts think the churches were built after Jerusalem was captured by Saladin, a Muslim leader, in 1187.

Lalibela is about 2,500 meters (8,200 feet) above sea level. It is the main town in Lasta, which was once part of the Bugna district. The rock-carved churches were named a World Heritage Site in 1978.

The best time to visit Lalibela is during the dry season, from October to March, when the weather is best for exploring. During this time, the town is very busy during religious festivals, such as Genna (January 7) and Timkat (January 19). These festivals include religious services, long processions, traditional music, and rituals.

History

There is some disagreement about when the churches in Lalibela, Ethiopia, were built. Local tradition says that before becoming king, Gebre Meskel Lalibela was guided by Jesus during a visit to Jerusalem. Jesus told him to build a second Jerusalem in Ethiopia. The town of Lalibela, also called Roha, was founded during the Zagwe dynasty under King Gebre Meskel Lalibela, who ruled around 1181 to 1221. However, it is more likely that the churches changed over time through several construction and renovation phases.

David Roden Buxton created a widely accepted timeline for the churches. He noted that two of them closely follow a tradition from Debra Damo, as seen at Yemrahana Kristos. Since carving the churches from solid rock would have taken longer than the time of King Lalibela’s reign, Buxton believes the work continued into the 14th century.

David Phillipson, a professor of African archaeology at the University of Cambridge, suggests that three churches—Merkorios, Gabriel-Rufael, and Danagel—were originally carved as fortifications or palace structures between 600 and 800 during the Kingdom of Aksum. He thinks King Lalibela’s name became linked to them only after his death. Meanwhile, local historian Getachew Mekonnen says Queen Meskel Kibra, Lalibela’s wife, built Biete Abba Libanos as a memorial for her husband after he died.

Archaeological findings at Lalibela show many pottery pieces and animal remains from 900 to 1100. These indicate the area was a secular settlement before King Lalibela turned it into a religious center. Pre-Christian carvings of animals were found on the lower walls of the nearby Washa Mikael Rock-Hewn Church. Later, Christian paintings were added to the upper walls, showing the region was still becoming Christianized at that time.

The name "Lalibela" first appeared in a European map made in Venice in 1457–59, written as "Lalabeda."

In the 1520s, a Portuguese priest named Francisco Álvares visited Ethiopia with the Portuguese ambassador. He described the unique church structures and swore that his account was true. He said no other Portuguese had seen the churches, and he had visited them twice. Although Ramuso included plans of the churches in his 1550 book, it is unknown who provided the drawings.

According to the "Futuh al-Habasha" by Shihab al-Din Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi, he burned one of the Lalibela churches during his invasion of Ethiopia. A detailed description of a rock-hewn church was given by Sihab ad-Din Ahmad, who said it was carved from a mountain. He gathered monks and set fire to the church, forcing a nun to jump into the flames before soldiers pulled her out.

Richard Pankhurst doubted this account, noting that the Royal Chronicles, which record Ahmad al-Ghazi’s attacks in 1531, do not mention church destruction. He suggested that if a church was burned, it was likely Biete Medhane Alem or Gannata Maryam, both of which have pillars carved from rock.

In 1544, Miguel de Castanhoso, a soldier under Cristóvão da Gama, visited Lalibela and described the churches as "superhuman" works carved from single rocks. He said the Moors tried to destroy them with tools and gunpowder but failed.

In 1882, French explorer Achille Raffray received an Ethiopian manuscript at Lalibela, claiming King Lalibela and his wife brought 500 workers from Alexandria and Jerusalem, led by someone named Sidi Meskal. However, later experts corrected Raffray’s translation. The manuscript actually contains three texts: a Coptic statement from the reign of Dawit I (1380–1409), an Arabic land charter, and a Ge’ez text from Dawit II’s reign (1508–1540). None mention foreign builders.

During the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, Emperor Haile Selassie visited Lalibela in 1936, risking capture, before returning to his capital. Italian forces captured the town shortly after.

In 1968, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and Emperor Haile Selassie visited Lalibela. The next year, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard also visited.

During the Ethiopian Civil War, Lalibela was attacked by the Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement (EPDM). In 1984, they held ten foreigners captive and briefly captured a French transport crew in 1985. These attacks reduced foreign tourism, and by 1990, most visitors were Ethiopians.

In early August 2021, Tigrayan Defense Force fighters captured Lalibela during the Tigray War. The Ethiopian army recaptured it on December 1, 2021, but Tigrayan forces took it again on December 12. Ethiopian state media announced the town was recaptured on December 19, though the timing was unclear.

In early November 2023, fierce fighting occurred between the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and Fano fighters. Lalibela is currently under Ethiopian government control.

Architecture

The churches in Lalibela show influences from the Aksumite period, as Stuart Munro-Hay explains. The church of Biete Amanuel has stone copies of wooden parts, similar to those found in older churches in Tigray and Eritrea. Framed doors and windows are a common feature, as they resemble the shape of stelae from Aksum. These designs can be seen in the arcading of Biete Gabriel-Rufael, the doorway of Biete Maryam, and the windows of Biete Amanuel. However, David Phillipson says that the presence of Aksumite-style architecture does not always mean the churches were built during the Aksumite era. Aksumite features might have been added later, but they show a strong connection to Aksumite traditions. The churches also show influences from Eastern Christian traditions, especially Syrian and Coptic styles. The pitched roof and straight moldings of Biete Maryam suggest a Syrian influence. Stuart Munro-Hay notes that during the reign of Gebre Meskel Lalibela, many Coptic Egyptians moved to Ethiopia and may have helped build the churches from that time. Some travelers, like Manuel de Almeida and Hiob Ludolf, believed most of the monuments were made by Egyptian architects. Francisco Álvares found that many locals thought the churches were mainly built by foreigners. However, Stuart Munro-Hay argues that the churches’ architecture follows the Aksumite style, so foreign influence was likely limited to decorative details. David Buxton agrees, saying there are signs of Coptic influence in some designs, but the churches are originally from the local area, as they follow the style of nearby buildings with clear Aksumite roots.

In a 1970 report, Sandro Angelini studied traditional earthen buildings in Lalibela, including the features of local houses and their condition. He identified two types of housing. One type, called "tukuls," are round stone huts with two stories. The other, called "chika" buildings, are single-story, round structures made of earth and wattle. Angelini believed these reflected limited resources. His report also listed traditional buildings in Lalibela, grouping them based on their state of preservation.

Churches

This rural town is famous worldwide for its churches carved from "living rock," which are important examples of rock-cut architecture. The exact dates when the churches were built are not certain, but most are believed to have been created during the time when Lalibela ruled, between the 12th and 13th centuries. UNESCO recognizes 11 churches, grouped into four clusters:

Further away, there is the monastery of Ashetan Maryam and the Yemrehana Krestos Church. These may have been built in the 11th century using techniques similar to those of the Aksumite period, and they are located inside a cave.

The churches are also an important engineering achievement because they are connected to water sources. Wells near many of the churches are filled by water that rises naturally from an underground system. This system carries water up to the top of the mountain where the city is located.

Other features

Lalibela has an airport with special codes HALL and LLI, a big market, two schools, and a hospital.

Demographics

In 2007, the Census Data showed a population of 17,367 people, with 8,112 males and 9,255 females. In 2005, the Central Statistical Agency estimated the town's population to be 14,668 people, including 7,049 males and 7,619 females. The 1994 national census recorded a population of 8,484 people, with 3,709 males and 4,775 females.