A priceless heritage
As previously said, this wonderful territory, Ethiopia, has 11 Unesco World heritage sites. Here they are...
1. Semien National Park
A sort of natural great wall measuring 40 km in length, with peaks higher than 4,000 metres. It has been a World Heritage site since 1978, and from 1996 to 2017 it was included among the endangered ones due to the enormous amount of people who began to live in it. Fortunately, the situation is now back to normal...
2. Lalibela Rock-Hewn Churches
Eleven churches divided into 3 blocks: each with different architectural features. It is a very important place for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church: these churches were requested and imagined by King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, who between the end of the XII and XIII century desired to recreate a map of the City of Jerusalem.
3. The Fasil Ghebbi Fortress
The once residence of Emperor Fasilides, it is a mixture of many architectural influences: Ethiopian (obviously), but also Arab, Hindu and Baroque. It includes castles, libraries, monuments, churches, palaces surrounded by 900-metre-long walls.
4. Low Auasc Valley
The Auasc river is 1200 km long and its Valley has now become part of the Unesco World Heritage because very important fossils were found there. Lucy's widely known skeleton is among these: an Australopithecus female who lived 3.4 million years ago.
5. Tiya
An archaeological site that with its 32 stems represents a wonderful example of a prehistoric cemetery. Enriched by still undeciphered symbols, experts still have not been able to understand from what period they come from exactly.
6. Axum
Vestiges of engraved royal columns and tombs that evoke legends and Aksumite traditions, it is the sacred place par excellence for Ethiopian Christians, a destination for pilgrimages from around the world every year.
7. Low Omo Valley
This Valley extends for 165 square kilometres. Here some of the most ancient prehistorical technical tools were found, which have allowed knowing a lot about an era of which is known very little.
8. Harar Jugol
A Muslim sacred city with 82 mosques, some older than a thousand years. The walls surrounding it were instead built between the XIII and XVI century, and the mountain range on which they stand are surrounded by deserts and savannahs.
9. Konso
An ancient community with century-year old cultural traditions, with terraces that represent an ancient engineering example.
10. Ghedeo
A region where peoplelived for millennia with a huge number of megalithic monuments that reach even 8 metres in height. The first human colonies go back as far as the Neolithic period.
11. Bale mountain national park
A unique place in the world with gigantic mountains, infinite valleys, lakes, forests, a place that hosts one of the most diverse ecosystems in the entire region. Five rivers, which are very important for Ethiopia, actually have their springs in this park.
