Axum Things to Do Tips by sachara

The northern Stelae Park is the most important stelae field in Aksum, containing more than 120 stelae. The stelae (monoliths) have a height from 1 to 33 M. Most monoliths are just a simple stone, but some have a rectangular shape with a conical top and are finely carved.

The about 2000 years old monoliths of Aksum have a surprisingly modern look and are also striking because of their huge size and their state of preservation.

These stelae are used as a tombstone monument for local rulers, like in other parts of north east Africa, allthough it's not certain, that under every stele is a tomb.

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Address: Aksum
Directions: The Northern Stelae Park lies north east of the town. To have an great overview, take the road up to the Yeha Hotel, just east of the ancient site. It's nice to sit at the terrace of the hotel, enjoying this wonderful sight.

When you approach the Northern Stelae Park, you will see near the entrance the most striking sculpted stele, popularly known as the King's Ezana Stele (allthough the stele is older). This stele of 24 M high is the biggest still standing stele.

The more finely carved the stele, the more splendid the tomb underneath. Some of the steles, like this one, imitate a multistoreyed building with little windows and doors. This architectural design gives an image of the traditional Aksumite style, used for palaces and houses.

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Address: Aksum
Directions: The Northern Stelae Park lies north east of the towncentre.

The great stele at the Northern Stelae Park in Aksum measures 33 M and is supposed to be the largest monolyth, that ever is attempted to be erect.

Once it was believed that this stele has stood, but investigations in 1998 say that it toppled over as it was being erected. So this broken stele of the 4th century lies down for ever.

Some people call the downfall of this stele, sabotaged or not, a permanent reminder of the defeat of paganism by Christianity

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Address: Aksum
Directions: The Northern Stelae Park is at the north east of the town.

From the Northern Stelae Park you can take the road up to the north east. It's a nice road to walk, edged by agaves. It can be extremely hot, so go early in the morning or take a taxi up and walk down.

En route, at the west side of the track, you will see a small building. By stepping on a stone, you can have a look inside through the very small windows and see a pillar with King Ezane's inscriptions.

About 1,5 KM from the park you can find the ruins of the tombs of Kings Kaleb & Gebre Meskel. With a ticket (bought at the Archaeological Museum downtown) you can enter this ancient site. Otherwise you can have a look over the wall and have an overview of the ruins.

Nearby is a rockhewn church, not mentioned in the travelguides.

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Address: Aksum
Directions: About 2 KM norht east of Aksum

In Ethiopia you can find three types of rock-hewn churches.
The most famous ones of Lalibela are totally hewn out of the rocks. The churches of Tigray, between Adrigat and Mekele, are half hewn out of the rocks.
This church near Aksum foms a contra mould with the churches in Lalibela.

To enter the church, you have to descend in this cross-formed hole. The whole church is underground. The door to the church will be opened only once a year, during the Timkat festival.

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Address: Aksum
Directions: Its location is 2 KM north east of Aksum.
You cannot find the location of this church in travelguides till now. Walk still a bit to the north east from the tombs of King Kaleb and Gebre Meskel.

When you visit the tombs of Kings Kaleb and Gebre Meskel or the rock-hewn church the views at the surrounding landscape are stunning.
This area north east of the town is also a nice area for walking. There are some paths leading southwards, back to the east part of the town, you can see from here.

Northwards you look in the direction of Eritrea and in the east at the background you can see the mountain ridge of Adwa.

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Directions: Area 2 KM north east of the centre of Aksum.

This water reservoir has the shape of a bowl with a diameter of about 65 M. In ancient time this great piece of engineering was an important source of water. The reservoir is hewn out of solid rock and has a depth of 5 M.

During our visit the reservoir has a low waterlevel. Nowadays local people come to fetch water and wash clothes in the reservoir.

This reservoir is meant to be the ritual bath of Queen Sheba, but in reality the bath postdates the queen at least a millenium.

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Address: Aksum
Directions: The bath is just 250 M north east of the Northern Stelae Park.