Addis Mercato, Open-air marketplace in Addis Ketema district, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Addis Mercato is a large open-air marketplace in Addis Ababa with separate sections for fresh produce, textiles, spices, electronics, and household goods. Thousands of stalls fill the space in a dense network of lanes and selling areas.
The market was relocated from its original location near St. George Church during the Italian occupation in the 1930s. It then established itself in the western part of the city and expanded to its current size.
Ethiopian coffee traders display their premium beans in dedicated sections, showing how this commerce shapes daily life in the city. The market reveals the importance of coffee beyond just a beverage in local society.
The market works best in early morning hours when fresh products arrive and traders begin their day. It is wise to come with plenty of time to explore the different sections and avoid getting lost.
Within the market, specialized areas house metal recyclers who transform discarded materials into new products. This craft tradition reveals how resources are creatively reused in the city.
Location: Addis Ababa
GPS coordinates: 9.02963,38.73960
Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:03
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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