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The Glossary
For being the supposed keeper of the Ark of the Covenant, Aksum has become Ethiopia's holiest city and prime pilgrimage destination. This ancient Ethiopian capital used to be one of the world's most powerful naval and trading rulers from 400 BC to 10th century. Remains of what was believed as the Palace of Queen Sheba, Africa's "Rosetta Stone," the world's biggest obelisk, and ancient tombs hidden in crypts engage tourists in a real, Indiana Jones-type of adventure.
A World Heritage Site, Aksum is a three-day bus ride from Addis Ababa. Once there, excursionists can easily hunt down one tourist spot after another by foot, with the help of local children who sideline as tour guides. The main tourist site is the Church of St. Mary of Zion, where Ethiopian legend says the Ark of the Covenant has been placed by Menelik I, King Solomon's son, said to have stolen the Ark from the temple of Jerusalem. Pilgrims flock there on the Festival of Maryam Zion every November and also on T'imk'et (Epiphany) in the hopes of getting a closer peek at the compound, since no one is allowed to go inside, not even Ethiopia's emperors.
Another local legend tells that Queen Sheba, a popular Koran and Biblical character, lived in Aksum and even built a palace and a huge bath, called Queen Sheba's Bath, which now lies in ruins.
In nearby Northern Stelae Field, numerous monolithic stelae (obelisks) are carved out of solid granite. They were believed to be built for great emperors. The biggest, called the Great Stelae, measures over 108 feet and weighs about 500 tons. The Great Stelae lies in ruins but the second-highest obelisk still stands at 78 feet. There is also a mausoleum and a tomb in the complex but these are not open to the public. The tomb, however, has a false door decorated using intricate workmanship. Outside the town, another stelae field, Judith, also has a collection of obelisks but of inferior quality.
If Egypt has its Sphinx and Rosetta Stone, Ethiopia has the Lioness of Gonedra and Ezanas Scriptures. The Lioness is a stone carving of a lion close to the quarry where the stelae were made, while the Scriptures are found in a museum near to the 4th-century tombs of kings Kaleb and Gebre Meskel, which can be navigated by torchlight.
Aksum Traveler Advice
User blogs:
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An Aerial fiesta in Clark Pampanga
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