Temple of Yeha
የሐ
A stone temple from around the 7th century BCE, the oldest surviving building in Ethiopia. Nearby are the ruins of the Grat Be'al Gebri palace.
Yeha lies about 50 km northeast of Aksum and was the centre of the Dʿmt kingdom that preceded Aksum. The main temple was built around the 7th century BCE using finely cut limestone blocks laid without mortar. Its walls rise about 14 metres, and it is the oldest surviving building in Ethiopia. It is believed to have been influenced by the architecture of Sabaean South Arabia. Beside the temple stands the later Yeha Monastery, which houses ancient manuscripts and artefacts, and nearby are the ruins of the Grat Be'al Gebri palace. A half-day round trip by hired car from Aksum is possible, and it is often combined with Adwa or Debre Damo.
Opening hours
Daytime
Nearby sights
- Abba Garima Monastery
- Adwa
- Debre Damo Monastery
- Abba Pentalewon Monastery
- Tombs of Kings Kaleb and Gebre Meskel
- Ezana Stone
- Mai Shum (Queen of Sheba's Bath)
- Tomb of Bazen