The Amazing Aksum City, Ethiopia

Aksum or Axum is a sacred city of Ethiopia a significant destination for Christian tourists who consider that the Ark of Covenant abides here. It was actually a trading and naval power which remained in authority till the 10^th century. This monarchy is also randomly named as India, Abyssinia and Ethiopia in antediluvian scripts. Situated in the zone of Mehakelegnaw, located in the Tigray Region along the foot of Adwa Mountains, Axum lies at the height of about 2,131 metres. This region is the main controlling point of La’ilay Maychew woreda (Ethiopian administrative division).

The area has gained a lot of fame; after it was declared by UNESCO as the World Heritage Site and agglomeration of people take cheap flights to Addis Ababa from there a domestic flight can be taken to Axum, to have a quality time in antiquated Axum.

In the Roman era, Aksum was the main focal point marine abyssal trading power and was called as the Aksumite Kingdom. The Kingdom had its own communicating language Ge’e z, and also enrooted a different architecture, elucidated by giant monoliths; the history of oldest one dates back to 5000-2000 BC. In the 4^th century, the empire was at the top during the reign of King Ezana, besprinkled as Abreha. A 1700-year-old and 24 metres tall granite stele annihilated into five distinctive parts was found in 1937, which was brought to Rome to get cobbled-up. This historical Kingdom has a chronic affiliation with Islam and has many ancient sites of great importance.

The striking and the momentous feature of the region are the stelae with the maximum numbers located in the Northern Stelae Park, aligned up to the height of 33 metres (with the width of 3.84 metres, depth of 2.35 metres and the weight of 520 tonnes) the Great Stele considered to get broken when it fell down during construction. Amongst the entire tallest one is the King Ezana’s Stele which has the height of 24 metres, the width of 2.65 metres, depth of 1.18 metres and weighs 160 tonnes. The other style that was taken away by the Italian army was carried back to Ethiopia in 2005 and was erected in the ground in 2008 which has the height of 24.6 metres, the width of 2.32 metres, depth of 1.36 metres and weighs approximately 170 tonnes. Besides, there are three more styles that have the heights ranging from 15.3 to 18.2 metres and they are believed to imprint the burial grounds and would have had heave alloy discs appended on their sides that are also engraved with structural designs. The Gudit Stelae that are situated on the western region of the town bestrewed with the archaic tombs whose history date back to the 4^th century. The other distinguished and the most alluring part of the area is the St Mary of Zion church that was constructed in 1665 and is believed to house the Ark of the Covenant. Apart from it there lies the ethnographic and archaeological museums, Ta’akha Maryam, Ezana Stone, the abbeys of Abba Liqanos and Abba Pentalewon and Lioness of Gobedra rock art.

From September to October, with the end of rainfall, Ethiopia blooms with lush green meadows and a wide range of colourful flowers and beautiful chirping birds. Whereas the months between October and May are also dry and considered to be a good time of the year for an excursion in Ethiopia.