GONDAR

748 kilometers from the capital of Ethiopia is Gondar, served daily by Ethiopian airlines, with some good hotels. The oldest of Gondar’s many imperial structures is the impressive 17th century palace of Emperor Fasilidas. Many other fascinating historical buildings and relics can be seen in the area.

Gondar, once the Ethiopian capital, was home to a number of emperors and warlords, courtiers and kings.

Gaze down fromthe balconies of the many castles and palaces to imagine the intrigue and pageantry that took place back in the 17th and 18th centuries of this great city.

Gondar CatleThe graceful city of Gonder, founded by Emperor fasilidas, become the capital of the Ethiopian empire around 1635.This settlement, which become fasilidas principal headquarters, grew into an important town, and remained Ethiopia’s capital, and most popular city, for over tow centuries.

Fasilidas endowed his capital with a sizeable palace, known as the fasil gemb, or Fasil   building. It was larger and more impressive than any structure in Ethiopia up to that time.

Fasilidas, who reputedly constructed many other buildings and bridges in the city, was succeeded by his son, Emperor Yohannes (1667-1682), and later by his grandson, Iyasu1 (1682-1706), both of whom built more palaces in the vicinity of fasil gemb. Iyasu’s most lasting achievement was the church of Debre Berhan Selassie, the light of the Trinity, which stands, surrounded by a high wall. The inside is marvelously painted with great scenes from religious history.

Apart from the famous castle in the royal compound, visitors should inspect the so-called bathing palace of the Emperor. This two storey crennellated stone structure has a flat roof and two wooden balconies.

It is set the middle of a large rectangular bath, reminiscent of a modern swimming-pool, which was traditionally filled with water brought by pipe from the nearby Qaha River. It was intended fro the Timket Celebrations which commemorated the Baptism of Christ-a use to which the bath is put to this day.

Timkat celebration at GondarSeveral more palaces were raised by both Yohannes 1 and Iyasu 1. They later built a large two-storey crennelated structure beside that of their grandfather Fasilidas.

The reigns of the first three Gondarie rulers thus witnessed a steady expansion of the city, in the course of which an imperial quarter came into existence.

More