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Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela 1
Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela 2
Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela 3
Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela 4
Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela 5
© UNESCO World Heritage Centre
UNESCO WHCCulturalInscribed 1978

Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela

Overview

The 11 medieval monolithic cave churches of this 13th-century 'New Jerusalem' are situated in a mountainous region in the heart of Ethiopia near a traditional village with circular-shaped dwellings. Lalibela is a high place of Ethiopian Christianity, still today a place of pilmigrage and devotion.

About Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela

The eleven Rock-hewn Churches of Lalibela are monolithic churches located in the western Ethiopian Highlands near the town of Lalibela, named after the late-12th and early-13th century King Gebre Meskel Lalibela of the Zagwe dynasty, who commissioned the massive building project of 11 rock-hewn churches to recreate the holy city of Jerusalem in his own kingdom. The site remains in use by the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church to this day, and it remains an important place of pilgrimage for Ethiopian Orthodox worshipers. It took 24 years to build all the 11 rock hewn churches.

Read more on Wikipedia

Selection Criteria

(i)(ii)(iii)

Components(1 location)

Details

Countries
Ethiopia
ISO Codes
ET
Coordinates
12.0294, 39.0404
View on UNESCO World Heritage Centre
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Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela

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Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela

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Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela