St. George's Cathedral
መንበረ ፀባዖት ቅዱስ ጊዮርጊስ
This octagonal Orthodox church was built to commemorate the 1896 Battle of Adwa, where Haile Selassie I was crowned, and it houses paintings by Afewerk Tekle.
Located at the northern end of Piassa, the cathedral was commissioned by Menelik II in 1896 to commemorate the Battle of Adwa, in which Ethiopian forces defeated the Italian army. According to tradition, the Ark of the Covenant of St. George accompanied the troops into battle. Haile Selassie I was crowned here in 1930. The interior features stained glass and murals by Afewerk Tekle, Ethiopia's most celebrated painter, and the attached museum displays crowns, ceremonial robes and religious objects. Visitors must remove their shoes to enter the church, and foreign visitors pay an admission fee.
Opening hours
Open daytime (museum approx. 08:00–17:00)
Nearby sights
- Adwa Victory Memorial Museum
- Piassa
- Tomoca Coffee (Piassa)
- National Museum of Ethiopia
- Ethnological Museum (Institute of Ethiopian Studies)
- Yekatit 12 Monument
- Merkato
- Holy Trinity Cathedral, Addis Ababa