World Heritage Sites in Ethiopia

Ethiopia (formerly called Abyssinia) is the oldest independent and proud nation in Africa and one of the oldest Christian nations in the world.
It has an ancient civilization dating back to over 3000 years.

It is endowed with magnificent cultural (both tangible and non tangible assets), historical, archaeological and natural tourist attractions. The country has the largest UNESCO world heritage sites in Africa.

Ethiopia is special in many ways. It has its own alphabet, its own calendar; it is the cradle of mankind; it is the place of origin for the coffee bean; It is the source of the Blue Nile River; The home of varying indigenous plant and animal species. And a country of humble and welcoming people who possess an extraordinary culture and traditions.

Its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa “New Flower”; which is a head quarter and diplomatic capital for different organizations. These unique qualities make Ethiopia an all-time fascinating tourist destination site in Africa.

Simien Mountains National Park in northern Ethiopia is a spectacular landscape, where massive erosion over millions of years has created jagged mountain peaks, deep valleys, and sharp precipices dropping some 1,500m.

The history of Lalibela, the Zagwe Dynasty had come to power in the eleventh century, one hundred years after the twilight of the Axumite Empire by internal and external factors. Lalibela is an astounding sacred and historical site in the mountainous northern Ethiopia.

The medieval icon Gondar or Gondar, the 17th century capital of Ethiopia, is a historical tourist destination site in north western Ethiopia about 748km north of Addis Ababa. It is well known for its castles and churches.

Axum or Aksum is an ancient city in northern Ethiopia named after the kingdom of Axum which ruled the area from 4th to 10th century.
It has an elevation of 2130 meters above sea level and located at a distance of about 700Km from Addis Ababa.

Humans have lived in the valley of the Awash almost since the beginning of the species. The Middle Awash has been where numerous pre-human hominid remains have been found. The valley of the Awash from about 9° N downstream is the traditional home of the Afar people.

Ethiopia is an ancient country in East Africa with remarkable natural and cultural heritage sites. It is also known as the cradle of humankind, where a number of paleontological discoveries have made the country one of the most fascinating places to study the origin of humans and the evolution of culture.

Tiya is located in the Soddo Region of Ethiopia. It is best known for its archaeological site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site remarkable for its large stone pillars, many of which bear some form of decoration. The menhir or stelae, “32 of which are engraved with enigmatic symbols, notably swords,” mark a large, prehistoric burial complex.

Harar (sometimes spelled Harrar or Harer) is a historic walled city in eastern Ethiopia. It is located on a hilltop about 500 kilometers from Addis Ababa with an elevation of 1885 meters above sea level.Today Harar is the administrative capital of the Harari People National Regional State.

Konso, named after the Konso people, is known for its religious traditions, waga sculptures, and nearby fossil beds (the latter an archaeological site of early hominids). The site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List on September 30, 1997 due to its purported universal cultural significance and official made a World Heritage Site in 2011.