Tigray is a region of northern Ethiopia rather than a specific location and just happens to be the last area I’m exploring on this trip. So why explore this region aside from the vast and stunning mountainous landscape? Tigray is famous for its rock hewn churches, most of which are anywhere from 500 to 1500 years old. Ethiopians liked to build their churches in caves or carve them high up the mountains right out of the rock in order to be closer to God and to protect them from attack. It worked too because while cities in Ethiopia have been razed a few times throughout history, the churches remain intact. Today all this means is they’re really difficult to access and if you want to visit them get ready for lots of four wheel driving, hiking, climbing, cliff walking, and generally pushing your fear of heights to the limit.

Abuna Yemata Guh

The most famous and popular of Tigrays churches, and rightfully so, is Abuna Yemata Guh. It also happens to be the first one I visited. It starts off easy enough with a short hike until you reach the cliff face. At that point you start climbing straight up the rock wall to a small ledge followed by another climb up a second rock wall, and you have to do it barefoot because it’s a church. (below left: That rocky structure toward the top is the back of the church. To reach the entrance you climb up and walk across the small ledge to the left of it and it’s about a 2000ft drop down if you misstep. below right: The walk to the entrance.)

• 

• 

Honestly, if you’re an experienced climber this probably wouldn’t be a big deal for you, but for me, a non climber with a fear of heights, this was terrifying. My heart was pounding the entire time. The inside of the church is a small cave carved out of the mountain with lots of beautiful 6th century paintings all over the walls. As scary as the climb up was and as scary as the climb back down was, the reward of seeing that ancient church and the views from it was totally worth it. (below left: At the entrance to Abuna Yemata Guh. below right: Inside Abuna Yemata Guh.)

• 

• 

Maryam and Daniel Korkor

On top of the next mountain over is Maryam Korkor and Daniel Korkor. The hike takes a little over an hour up some 45° rocky and sandy slopes. Maryam Korkor is the church while Daniel Korkor is a small hermitage that was carved and painted by the Ethiopian saint Daniel himself. The entrance is so small I have to go in hunched down and sideways.

Wukro Chirkos, Mikael Imba

These two churches are both semi monolithic churches. They were carved out of the rock on three sides similar to the ones I saw in Lalibela. Right in the middle of the town of Wukro stands Wukro Chirkos, reputedly the oldest church in Tigray, built in the 6th century. I’m told it is the most important church to the local Tigray people.

Mikael Imba is several miles east of Wukro on some very rough roads through some beautiful farmland and hills. Eventually you reach a smallish but beautiful mesa. Mikael Imba was carved out of the very top. It’s a subterranean church on a mountaintop. 

Medhane Alem Adi Kesho, Mikael Melehayzenghi, Petros and Paulus

These next three churches were all within walking distance of each other. Medhane Alem Adi Kesho is a fairly easy hike to get to compared to the others around here. The front white washed facade hides a really beautiful outer nave and some great carvings inside.

• 

• 

After a walk through some farms, dodging a couple of mules and getting scared to death by a dog that came out of nowhere, I arrived at Mikael Melehayzenghi. It was carved out of a large dome shaped rock. The entrance is super tiny, but the inside is surprisingly large and has one of the best ceiling carvings I’ve seen here.

About ten more minutes walking through farms and you see Petros and Paulus perched high up on a ledge above you. It’s one of the very few churches that was built out of wood and stone rather than carved out of the mountain itself, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive. The best part is accessing it by climbing up a very crooked and rickety ladder made of branches. Scary! The paintings inside are probably the most unique of any of the Tigray churches and stuffed inside the cracks in the rock all around are tombs where the bones of the dead lie exposed for all to see. 

• 

• 

Abba Yohanni

Abba Yohanni is a really remote monastery a bit north of Abiy Addi. Seeing it from the ground is probably the most stunning part about it as it is set halfway up a sheer cliff face. You get to it through a series of passageways and tunnels in the rock. The paintings inside date back to the 15th century. In addition to my guide I had about a half dozen local kids follow me up there watching my every move like I was Jesus or an NBA star. Haha

• 

• 

Abuna Gebre Mikael

This was the final church I visited and wow was it a good one. It was my second favorite of the ones I visited. Abuna Yemata Guh was the favorite, but probably only because of the adrenaline factor involved. That doesn’t mean Abuna Gebre Mikael was easy to get to though. It involved an exposed and steep steep hike up to a high plateau on all fours in parts, with some more astounding views all around. At the top of the plateau, the church was carved out of a large dome and the interior had some of the best carving work and most colorful paintings I’ve seen yet. Every side of every pillar and the whole ceiling were beautifully painted. 

Tigray is a really unique and historically significant part of the world. I’ve really enjoyed my time here. This region and the churches were just so fascinating to me and meaningful because of the effort involved to get to them. There are a little over a hundred such rock churches in the region and one could spend probably a few months finding and exploring them all. My time in Ethiopia, however, is at an end for now. Tomorrow I go to Addis Ababa once more and spend one obligatory day there before heading home. My flight leaves after midnight. Until the next adventure..

Go here to see all the pics from Tigray.