After meeting with Linda and our driver at the Axum Hotel we left out of city on the Adigrat road that we left at Wurko (silent ‘W’) to travel around 25km on unmade roads towards to Gheralta cluster of churches. Linda did contemplate the bus, but having a driver, a guide – Bereket (who we picked up from Wurko tourism office) – and a 4x4 made the day a lot more relaxed and enjoyable.
In 1868, Napier’s British expedition passed through Wurko where they were shown an astonishing church carved into a rocky outcrop. For several decades, it was believed that this one was the only one of its kind in Tigray. The Italian occupation ‘discovered’ two more such churches, and a few more were ‘found’ after the war. In 1963 a list of rock-hewn churches in Ethiopia was published, listing just 9 for the Tigray region. In 1966, Dr Tewelde Medhin read a paper at a Conference of Ethiopian Studies claiming there were 123 rock churches in Tigray, three-quarters of which were still in active use. His audience was naturally astonished.
The history of these churches is even more fascinating. Bereket was a fountain of knowledge, as well as providing us with various literatures from the tourism office. He explained that if you ask any priest how old the church is, they will claim that is was built by Abraha and Atsbeha. These are the twin rulers of Axum who converted to Christianity in the middle of the 4th century.
Historians who have used different techniques and tried to match architecture style claim the churches are more likely to date from the 14th and 15th centuries. However, others claim that they may well have been carved out of the rock prior to the arrival of Christianity and later converted into churches. The general consensus is that Tigray’s churches predate those at Lalibela and consensus seems to date them between the 6th and 10th century.
Most of the churches in Tigray have been carved into cliff face or into an outcrop, unlike those in Lalibela, which were dug down. It is believed that many of the churches were carved into existing cracks and then expanded into churches.
It is impossible to feel a real sense of wonder when entering the churches; there is a high standard of craftsmanship (impossible to comprehend given their dating) and a feeling of real sanctity given the number of years in which these churches have seen uninterrupted use. They are decorated with paintings and etchings whilst possibly the most remarkable fact is that they were unknown outside their parish until around 30 years ago!
We chose the Gheralta cluster to visit as there are more than 30 churches in the region and it is seen as the most important group of them in Tigray. The Tigray Tourist Board are working hard to promote tourism in the area, a much needed income to the people, and in years to come I may be able to say that I visited Gheralta before it became a major tourist attraction. The infrastructure is beginning to be put in place with the ‘Gheralta Lodge’ being built by an Italian gentleman that is attracting a reasonable number of Italian tourists to the area.
Our first stop off was ‘Debre Maryan Korkor’, a walk not a climb we were told. It took an hour and a half of walking, scrambling, ledges with sheer drops and a few short easy climbs. Tommy, Linda or I were quite prepared for it – and the altitude was certainly felt! We eventually got to 3000m but even in the lower parts I could feel the lack of oxygen in the air. However, it was all worth it. The views over the Arizona-like terrain were simply breathtaking. The church was an equally impressive feat of engineering: 12 large pillars and 7 arches spanning the church that can apparently hold ‘a few hundred’. Monks live in caves at the top of this mountain/hill and survive on what the locals bring up. Six young children, who were experts in helping us both up and down the tricky parts, accompanied us; they also brought a few litres of beer up to the monks! The tourism industry could well give them some kind of future beyond agriculture. The smaller church of ‘Aba Daniel Korkor’ could be found a little further on at the top and was apparently inhibited by a famous 17th century monk, Aba Daniel.
We were exhausted by the time we got back down to the bottom, and a few hairy moments aside, it was a fantastic experience. Not only the church, but the views too. Tommy and I both filled up our cameras with photos just trying to capture a little of what we were experiencing. It was refreshing to get out of the city and see the countryside and see more of what Ethiopia has to share with future travellers.
Our next stop off was in Dugem. A small village where we had a drink in the small café (I’m sure it was just an extension to someone’s front room) before being shown round the school. Linda actually has been working for the Education Board in Tigray and was explaining to us how there has been a drive for an increase in rural education and Dugem School was a fine example of this; money had clearly been invested in it as part of the millennium Project. Yet again, we were simply taken aback by the sheet friendliness and welcoming nature of the Ethiopian people. I hope that they never lose that aspect of their culture if tourism does take off around here.
Unfortunately the church of ‘Selasie Dugem’ was flooded and we could not view it. Bereket explained that the government had been informed of its flooding problem and there are various different boards that look after heritage sites but so far no action had been taken. I guess it has been flooding for many hundreds of years and it is not a priority at the moment.
Our last stop off was at ‘Abraha Atsbeha’ where the TTB are having a battle with Orthodox Bishop over entrance fees. Instead of the Tigray-wide standard entrance of 20Birr (£1.20), here it was 50Birr (£2.50). This is still not a huge sum of money, but as Linda pointed out it is over double what the other churches charge! However, it is regarded by many as the finest of the Tigray churches. It is also believed to have housed the bodies of the two aforementioned kings after which it is named, Abraha and Atsbeha, dating it to around the 4th century. This is one of the few churches that have been long known outside its parish.
It is a large church and lies behind a later addition, an Italian-style portico. The murals are also stunning, although the whole interior has suffered some fire damage. It still contains many treasures including a prayer cross (carried by all Ethiopian Orthodox priests) that is said to have belonged to Aba Salama, the first Bishop of Ethiopia.
We were all exhausted on the journey home, cheered by the driver buying us our first color (roasted barley). He then proceeded to tell me, the front passenger, a selection of hilarious stories very tediously connected. My favourites concerned the Chinese workmen who were building the road, found some hyena road-kill and took it home and ate it. Consequently, the Ethiopian labourers refused to work with them anymore – there are only certain meats they can eat in a link to the Church’s Semitic traditions. This went on to a conversation about camels; he told me he could get me one for just 4000Birr (£200), which was a good price in today’s market. Apparently Ethiopian people used to refuse to use camels, and said they were only used by the Afar people (who live in the Dankil Depression) and other Muslims. However, only recently they have seen how good and useful they can be and so want to use them more. The trouble with this is, the Sudanese people like to eat them and this is creating a shortage of camels and so the price is going up! I was in tears of laughter at his stories and they way he told them; he would have made an excellent London cabby – had he not already got two jobs as a driver and Italian tour guide for the Gheralta lodge, another secret his fluent Italian he shared with me. Tommy and Linda were sat in the back not understanding a work he was saying due to the road noise and were confused as to why I was laughing so much.
John’s friend Rory also arrived and they are both going travelling around Tigray, Gonder and Wolo over the next week. To celebrate, we take Aluma (the Daughters’ accountant) out for diner although I think all me and Tommy really wanted to do was go to bed after our ‘climbing’ experience…
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