Ethiopia has 9 UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the
identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of
outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning
the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
whc.unesco.org
Fasil Ghebbi, Gondar Region- In the Tiya- Tiya is among the most
16th and 17th centuries, the fortress important of the roughly 160
-city of Fasil Ghebbi was the archaeological sites discovered so far
residence of the Ethiopian emperor in the Soddo region, south of Addis
Fasilides and his successors. Ababa. The site contains 36
Surrounded by a 900-m-long wall, monuments, including 32 carved
the city contains palaces, churches, stelae covered with symbols, most of
monasteries and unique public and which are difficult to decipher. They
private buildings marked by Hindu are the remains of an ancient
and Arab influences, subsequently Ethiopian culture whose age has not
transformed by the Baroque style yet been precisely determined.
brought to Gondar by the Jesuit
missionaries. © Ko Hon Chiu Vincent Author: Ko Hon Chiu Vincent
© Editions Gelbart
Author: Jean-Jacques Gelbart
Lower Valley of the Omo- A
prehistoric site near Lake
Turkana, the lower valley
of the Omo is renowned the
world over. The discovery
of many fossils there,
especially Homo gracilis,
has been of fundamental
importance in the study of
human evolution.
© UNESCO Author: Karalyn Monteil © Kobbédé Bogalé Author: Kobbédé Bogalé
Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela- In a Lower Valley of the Awash- The Awash
mountainous region in the heart of valley contains one of the most important
Ethiopia, some 645 km from Addis groupings of palaeontological sites on the
Ababa, eleven medieval monolithic African continent. The remains found at
churches were carved out of rock. Their the site, the oldest of which date back at
building is attributed to King Lalibela least 4 million years, provide evidence of
who set out to construct in the 12th human evolution which has modified our
century a ‘New Jerusalem’, after conception of the history of humankind.
Muslim conquests halted Christian The most spectacular discovery came in
pilgrimages to the holy Land. Lalibela 1974, when 52 fragments of a skeleton
flourished after the decline of the enabled the famous Lucy to be
© UNESCO Aksum Empire. © Ko Hon Chiu Vincent reconstructed.
Author: Francesco Bandarin Author: Ko Hon Chiu Vincent
Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town-
Located in the eastern part of the country on a
plateau with deep gorges surrounded by
deserts and savannah. The walls surrounding Full replica of Lucy's
this sacred Muslim city were built between the (Australopithecus
13th and 16th centuries. Harar Jugol, said to afarensis) skeleton in
be the fourth holiest city of Islam, numbers 82 the Museo Nacional de
mosques, three of which date from the 10th Antropología at
century, and 102 shrines, but the townhouses Mexico City.
with their exceptional interior design
constitute the most spectacular part of Harar's
cultural heritage. The impact of African and
Islamic traditions on the development of the
town's building types and urban layout make
© CRA-terre for its particular character and uniqueness.
Author: Ahron de Leeuw
Aksum- The ruins of the Konso Cultural Landscape– An arid
ancient city of Aksum are property of stone walled terraces and
found close to Ethiopia's fortified settlements in the Konso
northern border. They mark highlands of Ethiopia. It constitutes a
the location of the heart of spectacular example of a living cultural
ancient Ethiopia, when the tradition stretching back 21 generations
Kingdom of Aksum was the (more than 400 years) adapted to its dry
most powerful state between hostile environment. The landscape
the Eastern Roman Empire demonstrates the shared values, social
and Persia. The massive ruins, cohesion and engineering knowledge of its
dating from between the 1st communities. The site also features
and the 13th century A.D., anthropomorphic wooden statues - grouped
include monolithic obelisks, to represent respected members of their
giant stelae, royal tombs and communities and particularly heroic events
the ruins of ancient castles. - which are an exceptional living testimony
Long after its political decline to funerary traditions that are on the verge
© UNESCO
Author: Francesco Bandarin
in the 10th century, Ethiopian of disappearing. Stone steles in the towns
© Yonas Beyene Author: Yonas Beyene
emperors continued to be express a complex system of marking the
crowned in Aksum. passing of generations of leaders.
Simien 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 1,500 m. The park is of
global significance for biodiversity conservation
because it is home to globally threatened
species, including the iconic Walia ibex, a wild
mountain goat found nowhere else in the world,
the Gelada baboon and the Ethiopian wolf.
Ethiopian wolf (Canis simensis citernii), Sanetti Plateau,
© Ko Hon Chiu Vincent Ethiopia. Charles James Sharp - Own work, from Sharp
Author: Ko Hon Chiu Vincent Photography, sharpphotography.co.uk
