GONDAR

This medieval city in Norther Ethiopia, founded around 1635 by Emperor Fasilidas, was the medieval capital of Ethiopia for over 200 years. The hilly surroundings made it easy to defend, while malaria was absent due to its high altitude, and the fresh, running waterways comprising several rivers. When they left, its founder and his successors left a town behind filled with marvelous castles and churches.

 FASIL GHEBBI

Graceful castles stand at the heart of this 17th and 18th century city, built by the successive Gonderine kings who founded the 70-hectare compound. In addition to castles, the site contains many other structures, among them a sauna (said to treat Iyasu the Great, who suffered from a skin disease) and a lion cage that symbolized the region’s connection with the Lion of Judah. The Royal Enclosure of Fasil Ghebbi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

DEBRE BREHAN SELASSIE CHURCH:

During the invasion of the Mahdist of Sudan in 1888, almost all the churches of Gondar were destroyed. It is said that this church alone survived the invasion because it was protected by a swarm of bees. Debre Brehan Selassie is known for the elaborate decorations inside, including its world-famous ceiling, covered with painted faces of angels. Every 7th day of the month (in the Ethiopian Calendar) Selassie day (the day of Trinity) is celebrated.