Meskel Square
መስቀል አደባባይ
This large stepped square in the city center hosts the Meskel Demera bonfire celebration each September, when a huge bonfire is lit to mark the Finding of the True Cross.
The square is a major transport hub and gathering place, and its stepped seating can hold large crowds. Residents also come here in the early morning to exercise. Each year on the eve of Meskel, the Ethiopian Orthodox festival on Meskel 17 of the Ethiopian calendar (around September 27 in the Gregorian calendar), believers hold processions here and light a huge bonfire. The festival is inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Red Terror Martyrs' Memorial Museum is next door and can be visited at the same time. Crowds are large during the festival, so keep an eye on your belongings.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Red Terror Martyrs' Memorial Museum
- Fendika Cultural Center
- Africa Hall
- Addis Ababa Science Museum
- Unity Park
- Holy Trinity Cathedral, Addis Ababa
- Tomoca Coffee (Piassa)
- Piassa