Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
sections dating to the 8th century BC. It's distinguished for its unusual, square-sectioned,
monolithic pillars (which could have been taller than the tallest known in South Arabia at
the Temple of the Moon in Ma'rib in Yemen). Important rock-hewn tombs have also been
found in the vicinity.
Next to the temple is the new
Church of Abuna Aftse
, which was built in the 1940s
over the 6th-century-AD original. Incorporated into its walls are stones removed from the
temple and in the west wall there are exceptional reliefs of ibexes, a sacred animal of
southern Arabia. Entry is not allowed to tourists. The tiny
museum
(admission incl with
ruins)
contains a collection of beautifully incised ancient Sabaean inscriptions believed to
originate from the temple, as well as some similarly ancient pottery plus the usual church
paraphernalia. A proper historical museum is under construction.
Getting There & Away
See Adwa's and Aksum's Getting There & Away sections for transport information. The
last minibus back to Adwa leaves the village at about 4pm.
Debre Damo
It was Abuna Aregawi, one of the most revered of the Nine Saints, who established
Debre
Damo
(admission Birr150, men only)
monastery atop this sheer-sided
amba
(flat-topped
mountain). It may seem like it would have been impossible for the first person to reach
this island in the sky, but Abuna Aregawi had God on his side and God, knowing this was
a fine place for a saint to find peace, made a giant snake lower its tail down the mountain
and allow Aregawi to clamber up it to the summit.
Today, for those without God on their side, there's a thick leather rope to climb and the
monks will tie a second line around your torso and help pull you up (Birr50) the 15m cliff.
Even so, it takes some nerves and a good head for heights. (If you're short of confidence,
don't look at the laces holding the strips of rope together until after you've come down!)
Women, some might say luckily for them, aren't allowed up.
Debre Damo is one of the most important monasteries in Ethiopia and is thought to date
back to Aksumite times and the 6th-century reign of King Gebre Meskel. The monastery's
formidable cliffs also allowed Aksumite monarchs to coop up excess male members of the
royal family here, thus removing possible threats to their reign. Today it hosts some 150
