The origins of the Kingdom of Axum in 5th century BC are most frequently accepted as the founding event that initiated the history of Ethiopia. At the height of its prosperity, the Kingdom maintained political and commercial relationships with the civilizations of the ancient Greeks and Romans in the West, as well as with India and China, in the East.

During that era, Geez became the official language of the Kingdom, which it remains today, and is often in use in churches across Ethiopia. This language originates from the Southern-Arabian peoples who reached these lands on their way from Yemen, a long time before they established the Kingdom of Axum.

In Axum, it is possible to admire many architectural masterpieces, including famous steles that until today have been an inspiration for designers of modern edifices well beyond its borders. A short time ago, a stele looted during Ethiopia’s short Italian occupation was returned to the city. Axum was the site of coronations for Ethiopian emperors until as recently as the time of Haile Sellasie. In a special chapel next to Tsion Marjam (the Holiest Mother of God on Zion) Cathedral, the legendary Arc of the Covenant is said to be stored. In accordance with a legend, it is from here that the Queen of Sheba departed, in order to meet King Solomon. The ruins of her palace and its enormous water basins, which currently serve as a reservoir of fresh water, have all been preserved.