Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela Review

The 11 medieval monolithic cave churches of this 13th-century 'New Jerusalem' are situated in a mountainous region in the heart of Ethiopia near a traditional village with circular-shaped dwellings. Lalibela is a high place of Ethiopian Christianity, still today a place of pilmigrage and devotion.

Legend has it that in the 12th century, the seventh king of Ethiopia, Lalibela, dreamed of the god: "Build a new Jerusalem city in Ethiopia and demand that a church be built with a whole rock". So Lalibela used 20,000 artificial labor to chiseel 11 rock churches in the rock plateau of 2,600 meters in northern Ethiopia, which people called Lalibela. Since then, Lalibela has become a holy place for Ethiopians. Every year, believers will gather here on January 7th Ethiopian Christmas. These churches are nestled in huge pits of rock. The carved churches are carved from hard rock like giant sculptures, like the temples of Elora. They are stunning in appearance and unique interior decoration. They are an extraordinary product of the prosperity of Christian civilization in Ethiopia in the 12th and 13th centuries. Built around 1,000 BC, they are known as the "African Miracle". In 1979, they were listed on the World Heritage List.

The town, home to the famed world heritage site Lalibela underground church group, is better known to travelers than Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa. Even watching the rock church in Lalibela on television and in books, it is quite shocking to walk in. These still in use are chiselled entirely on the rock, magnificent and beautifully preserved, most of them in excellent condition. St. George's Church is the most photographed church in Lalibela, and it is indeed a representative of the entire church group, except for the unprotected sky curtain. Looking down from above, the church is in the shape of a cross, and the grooves above are designed to not only beautify but also to drive rainwater out to avoid corrosion of the building

埃塞俄比亚国内最著名的景点之一，去之前会觉得它在当地的富名程度相当于北京之于中国，但是去之后会发现它其实更多的像是一个村庄，安静祥和，晚上星空璀璨，很棒

在这个国家生产的咖啡非常优质，几乎是世界之最，这里的咖啡非常便宜，几乎就是白给，只要你肯买。在这个国家天主教是国家的最高教义，在教堂里有很多美丽的彩色玻璃组画，这一切都不亚于欧洲。