LALIBELA, ETHIOPIA (PART ONE)
This is Part I of the pics--go here for Part II (which has pictures mostly in the vicinity of Lalibela).
Lalibela is a somewhat spread out town in north-central Ethiopia at a little over 8000 feet above sea level. It is mostly dry but mountainous around here. Lalibela has many old churches from generally the 12th, 13th and 14th Centuries.
First, a view of the main part of Lalibela from above...
The churches are mostly built into the ground, so they can be difficult to see from the distance. In recent years, protective canopies have been built over them as they have eroded some from the rain. Here is a view of part of the northwest cluster (the main cluster, as opposed to the smaller southeast cluster)...
One of the larger churches is Bete Medhane Alem...
A couple of views inside Bete Medhane Alem...
Right next door is Bete Maryam...
Here is a large group of priests chanting in between Bete Maryam (on right) and Debre Sina-Mikael (behind the chanters)...
Viewing the chanting priests from a window of Debre Sina-Mikael (looking towards Bete Maryam)...
Now for some pics of Debre Sina-Mikael...
Inside...
Looking outside towards huts from Debre Sina-Mikael...
Nearby is the Tomb of Adam (though just a relic)...
Right behind the Tomb of Adam is Bete Uraiel. Here are a couple pics from inside, including art work...
Near Bete Maryam is what I think is Bete Danagel...
Inside...
Probably the most impressive old church is St. George (Bete Giyorgis), built in the 13th Century. This church does not have the protective shield above it, which allows its full charm to show. This is separate from either the northwest or southeast cluster...
Inside...
The passage going down to the church...
The view from above the church...
Native olive trees just outside the church (the native range isn't just in the Mediterranean but instead extends south through parts of eastern and southern Africa)...
One native shrub that's very common in the highlands of Ethiopia, including in Lalibela is the brittlewood (Nuxia congesta). It was in bloom at the time...
Another native tree/shrub common in the highlands of Ethiopia, including in Lalibela (and one planted as an ornamental in mild dry climates around the world, including San Diego) is the pencil tree (Euphorbia tirucalli)...
A picture of the city center of Lalibela...much different in appearance from the areas around the old churches...
Back to a few more churches. The southeast cluster is smaller than the northwest cluster (with some restoration closing parts of the southeast cluster in March 2016). One church in the southeast cluster is Bete Aba Libanos...
Route to Bete Aba Libanos...
Bete Lehem...
A couple of pics inside...
There was a long dark tunnel in the southeast cluster leading towards Bete Lehem...
A few outside graves near the southeast cluster...
And finally, a few pictures of the traditional round thatched-roof huts in Lalibela...
Go here for Part II of Lalibela (which are pictures mostly just outside the city).
All of the above pictures on this page were taken in March 2016 by Brandt Maxwell.
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