Bete Amanuel
ቤተ አማኑኤል
The most regularly shaped free-standing church in the southeast group, with clear Aksumite-style beam motifs. It is believed to have once been a royal chapel.
Bete Amanuel is carved completely free from the rock on all four sides. Its exterior walls imitate the alternating wood-beam and stone patterns of Aksumite palace architecture, and it is considered the most finely crafted of the eleven churches. Behind the church, a narrow rock fissure leads to the hermit monks' caves. The churches of the southeast group are connected by tunnels and trenches, so it is best to hire a guide to lead you through the maze-like passages and make sure you don't miss the highlights.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–12:00, 14:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Bete Merkorios
- Bete Abba Libanos
- Bete Gabriel-Rufael
- Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela
- Bete Medhane Alem
- Bete Maryam
- Bete Golgotha-Mikael
- Bete Giyorgis (Church of St. George)