Discover Lalibela

Lalibela combines exceptional church architecture with a vibrant pilgrimage tradition. The town’s eleven churches are a striking focal point for planning a trip; red-stone round houses also shape the cityscape. Whether you are most interested in the churches, the building styles or everyday life around the central squares, these different themes can help you decide what to focus on during your stay.

Lalibela’s churches and their distinctive architecture

The churches are divided into two main groups, separated by the Jordan River. To the north of the river are Biete Medhani Alem, Biete Mariam, Biete Maskal, Biete Denagel and Biete Golgotha Mikael. To the south are Biete Amanuel, Biete Qeddus Mercoreus, Biete Abba Libanos, Biete Gabriel Raphael and Biete Lehem. Biete Ghiorgis lies apart from the other churches and is connected to them by a system of trenches. This layout makes the location of each building an essential part of the church complex.

Biete Medhani Alem stands out for its five aisles and is believed to be the largest monolithic church in the world. Several church interiors are decorated with wall paintings. If you are interested in architectural styles, you can consider these features alongside the spatial layout of the complex, rather than viewing the churches only as individual stops.

Lalibela is also home to two-storey round houses made of locally sourced red stone, known as Lasta Tukuls. They provide an architectural contrast to the churches. If you would like to explore local building styles as well as religious architecture during your trip, this offers another theme to consider when choosing your experiences.

Exploring the church complex on foot

The complex, with its eleven churches, can only be explored on foot. Bear this in mind when planning your visits: the churches are not connected by a vehicle tour. Lalibela’s rock-hewn churches continue to serve as a pilgrimage site. Their religious significance is therefore as important to understanding the place as their architecture and the arrangement of the buildings.

Stalls selling Ethiopian handicrafts are also part of finding your way around town. They are concentrated in Lalibela’s main square and along the main road south of the churches. If you would like to include these areas, you can set aside time to explore them separately.

The trip and choosing a holiday rental

When looking for a holiday rental in Lalibela, your interests can help guide your choice: are the churches and their architecture your main focus, or would you also like to explore the round houses and areas with handicraft stalls?

Lalibela Airport is served daily by Ethiopian Airlines flights from Addis Ababa, Gondar, Bahir Dar and Aksum. As routes and flight frequencies can change, check the current schedule before travelling.

Amhara in the wider context

The wider travel destination of Amhara also includes Lake Tana. It is Ethiopia’s largest freshwater body, accounts for 50 percent of the country’s inland waters and is the source of the Abbay, the Blue Nile. More than 217 bird species have been recorded in the Lake Tana Biosphere Reserve.

Lake Tana has been a political and spiritual centre of the Ethiopian Christian faith for many centuries. Its islands are home to monasteries, churches and palace ruins. In the biosphere reserve’s wetland, papyrus is used both as fuel and to build the unique Tanqua reed boats. These regional themes are part of Amhara and offer a separate perspective on the wider destination alongside Lalibela’s distinctive churches.

For the wider travel overview: North Wello.