Lalibela, The Jerusalem Of Africa
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Lalibela, a lost town in the northern highlands of Ethiopia, is considered one of the most important religious centers of Ethiopian Christendom and a popular pilgrimage destination. Here you will find an exceptional set of monolithic rock churches and buildings, carved – not built – in the dry and rocky subsoil of Africa.
These churches do not arise, but sink into the ground, they were sculpted with the purpose of creating a new Jerusalem in Africa, during the Middle Ages. Currently they are institutions that keep the cult alive, since religious ceremonies are carried out in an environment typical of other times.
The churches of Lalibela, hidden for many centuries
Villages located in the mountains of central Ethiopia, at an altitude of almost 3,000 meters, are not easily accessible in the rainy season, which has contributed to their isolation for centuries. Therefore, you will not believe your eyes when suddenly the ground sinks and the lines of a cross-shaped temple appear.
The churches of Lalibela have no point of comparison in the world, these churches escape any classification because they simply do not fit any known architectural current. They are buildings that fit perfectly into the rock with finely carved windows adorned with Ethiopian crosses.
The legend of King Lalibela
Lalibela, was the name that was given to the town in honor of the king of the Zagwe dynasty, who reigned between the 12th and 13th centuries.
Legend has it that the king showed signs of holiness from his birth. His mother called him Lalibela, which means “the bees recognize the king” because when he was a baby a swarm of bees surrounded him without any sting.
His older brother, out of jealousy over the attention his younger brother received, tried to kill him, but fell asleep. Legend has it that the angels transported Lalibela to heaven, to heavenly Jerusalem. In this deep sleep they showed him a type of temple that they wanted him to build on the earth, then they helped him build them and the work was finished in 24 years.
In his eagerness to build the temples, they say that Lalibela even sold his own children as slaves in order to finish the work. Before dying, he retired to live as a monk in one of them.
The mystery of the construction of the Churches of Lalibela
Historians have concluded that it took the labor of more than 40,000,000 Egyptians to sculpt the twelve churches of Lalibela, although to this day it is still a mystery to everyone why it was built in Ethiopia and not in Egypt.
Engineers who have studied its design have concluded that its construction is scientifically inexplicable. It is a mystery how architectural techniques to sculpt the churches were perfectly achieved, with exact and defined lines, considered too advanced for the medieval period in which they were built, since today we would have to use saws and chisels.
The churches
Heavenly Jerusalem
Earthly Jerusalem
The church of San Jorge (Bete Giorgis), is considered the most impressive of all. It is separated from the two groups by the Jordan River, has a more complex architecture because it has a cruciform plan and has three huge crosses carved into the ceiling.
When visiting Lalibela, you will be able to experience a mix of magic and excitement. Knowing these breathtaking churches and the wonder that their creation signifies, together with their legend, will not leave you indifferent.
