Abuna Yemata Guh
አቡነ የማታ ጉሕ
A rock-hewn church carved into a lone cliff about 2,580 meters up, reached only by hand-climbing and walking a narrow ledge along a precipice. It is often called the hardest church in the world to reach.
Tradition holds that the church was carved by Abuna Yemata, one of the Nine Saints of the 5th and 6th centuries. The vaulted ceiling inside still preserves vivid ancient murals depicting apostles and saints. From the foot of the mountain, the hike takes about an hour. After that, you climb a nearly vertical rock face barefoot, with local climbing guides protecting you using ropes. Finally, you walk along a narrow ledge with a drop of about 250 meters on the outer side to reach the church. An entrance ticket is required, and you should also tip the climbing guides. Those who are afraid of heights should take care, and it's best to set out in the morning to avoid the midday sun.
Opening hours
Daytime (opened only when a priest is present)
Nearby sights
- Maryam Korkor
- Daniel Korkor
- Mariam Papaseit
- Abuna Gebre Mikael (Koraro)
- Debre Tsion Abuna Abraham
- Hawzen Market
- Gheralta Massif
- Yohannes Maequddi