Obelisks of Aksum
አክሱም
The ancient capital of the Kingdom of Aksum, with rows of giant granite stelae. Legend says the Ark of the Covenant is kept at the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion. Listed as a World Heritage Site in 1980.
Axum lies in Tigray in northern Ethiopia. From the 1st to the 8th century CE, it was the capital of the Kingdom of Aksum, which controlled Red Sea trade and was counted among the four great empires of the age alongside Rome, Persia and China. In the 4th century, King Ezana converted to Christianity, making Ethiopia one of the earliest Christian nations. The North Stelae Park contains several obelisks carved from single blocks of granite. The 'Great Stele,' the tallest at about 33 meters, has fallen and broken. The 'Roman Stele,' about 24 meters high, was taken to Rome by Italy in 1937, returned in 2005, and re-erected in 2008. Beneath the stelae are royal underground tombs. Other highlights include the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion complex, which is said to hold the Ark of the Covenant containing the Ten Commandments tablets. Only one guardian monk may see the Ark. Women may enter the new church but not the old one, which is open to men only. There are also the Queen of Sheba's Bath and palace ruins, Ezana's Stele (inscribed in three languages: Ge'ez, Sabaean and Greek), and the tombs of King Kaleb and Gebre Meskel. Combined tickets are sold on site, and it is advisable to hire a guide. Axum has an airport. Tigray is still recovering after conflict, so check the latest safety advisories from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia before you travel.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–17:30; check on site
Nearby sights
- King Ezana's Stele
- Aksum Archaeological Museum
- Tomb of the False Door & Mausoleum
- Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion
- Mai Shum (Queen of Sheba's Bath)
- Ezana Stone
- Tomb of Bazen
- Aksum Market