Gondar, Medieval castles in Gondar, Ethiopia
Gondar is a large city in northern Ethiopia known for its 17th and 18th century stone castles. The Royal Enclosure includes several palaces and fortifications within a 900-meter-long wall, surrounded by highland hills.
Emperor Fasilides made this city Ethiopia's capital in 1636 and began building the palaces. His successors added more structures over two centuries until the capital moved in 1855.
Debre Birhan Selassie Church shows Ethiopian religious art with ceiling paintings of 80 cherub faces and wall murals of biblical scenes. Visitors experience Orthodox tradition here through preserved iconography and the presence of priests wearing traditional white robes.
The elevation at 2,133 meters (7,000 feet) provides mild temperatures throughout the year, with domestic flights from Addis Ababa taking about one hour. Main attractions lie close together and can be reached on foot or by local taxis.
Fasilides Bath, a stone pool surrounded by towers, becomes a ceremonial baptism site during the January Timkat festival. Thousands of worshippers gather here to bless the water and reenact the baptism of Christ.
Location: Gondar
Location: Semien Gondar Zone
Inception: 1635
Elevation above the sea: 2,133 m
Website: https://gondar.gov.et
GPS coordinates: 12.61037,37.46677
Latest update: December 4, 2025 23:04
Ethiopia offers photographers a range of subjects from medieval architecture to geologically active zones. In the north, Lalibela features eleven churches carved from solid tuff rock during the 12th and 13th centuries, while Axum holds obelisks from the Aksumite Empire that flourished from the 1st to 10th centuries. The Gheralta region of Tigray contains dozens of churches built into cliff faces, accessible via steep trails.The landscape extends from the peaks of the Simien Mountains, rising above 15,000 feet (4,500 meters), to the Danakil Depression, one of the lowest and hottest places on Earth. Bale Mountains National Park supports Ethiopian wolves in afroalpine moorlands, while Awash National Park features acacia woodlands and hot springs. The walled city of Harar Jugol, with its 368 lanes and 82 mosques dating from the 16th century, displays Islamic architecture. The monasteries on Lake Tana islands hold manuscripts from the 14th to 18th centuries, and in Gondar, Fasil Ghebbi documents Ethiopian rule through its 17th and 18th century palaces and churches.
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