Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Though not visited very often, this is considered one of Gheralta's finest churches. The
cruciform plan is hewn into a domelike rock and it has good unfaded frescoes and care-
fully carved columns, pillars, cupolas and arches. It's around 15km southwest of Abuna
Yemata Guh and requires a steep climb of at least an hour, negotiating a few obstacles on
the way.
TREKKING TIGRAY
Because most of the Tigray churches are in remote places, short treks are required to reach them. Until recently
there were no organised overnight treks; luckily, for adventurous travellers, this has changed.
Although the locally inspired architecture is different, the set up of the new trekking program is otherwise nearly
identical to the excellent one around Lalibela. There are currently four community-run camps (at altitudes between
2200m and 3000m) spread out in the remote mountains southwest of Adigrat. Most people begin trekking near
Hawzien, but the guides can also meet you at Adigrat or Aksum and start closer to these towns. Treks run year-
round and booking is handled by
Tesfa Tours
(
0923-490495;
www.tesfatours.com
)
in Addis Ababa.
WUKRO CLUSTER
Both of these churches are very easy to reach. Also, a planned museum in Wukro town
archaeological site 6km southwest of town, which is itself being transformed into an
open-air museum.
Wukro Cherkos
Offline map
This crooked cruciform sandstone church is semimonolithic and boasts beautiful cruci-
form pillars (notice the swirling sandstone laminae), cubical capitals, an outstanding Ak-
sumite frieze and a barrel-vaulted ceiling. In 1958 Haile Selassie himself, apparently,
ordered the angular roof squared with concrete for either aesthetic reasons or to protect
the church from water seepage (which has severely damaged the geometric ceiling
designs), depending on who you ask. It's on the northern edge of Wukro, making it the
most easily accessible church.
CHURCH
Abraha We Atsbeha
Offline map
CHURCH
