For a large number of years in ancient time, Axum had been served as a political and religious center of Ethiopia. It was the capital of the Axumite Kingdome and considered as the first well-known permanent capital in the history of the country. It has still a considerable symbolic role for the Ethiopian church and state. During its long history, Axum greatly contributed too many human developments. It has been a repository of tremendous archeological and historical treasures including the steel, the rock-tombs, temples, the palaces, the stone thrones and others.

Axum is widely identified and very popular with its famous monolithic stele. Axumite stele are the largest examples of monolithic stone cuttings known from ancient world . they wre carved from the great granite and unevenly distributed in the city of Auxm. The gian stele, however, are found in the stele park. In ancient times, it said the there were seven great monolithic stele standing together. Now only three are visible.

It is perhaps, the largest monolithic stele in the world. It measure over 33 meters and weighs about 500 tones.

Fell at some remote period in the past and now lies in broken segments on the ground close to the standing stele. It is believed that this stele fell during the attempt to erect it.

It represents a tall and slender building of 13 storey and al sides are decorated.

• It is the only giant stelae still standing and measures 23 meters high.
• It is carved on three faces to represent a tower-house of nine storeys.
• The back is undecorated except for a circle carved in relief near the apex.
• There is a stone platform with bowl shaped cavities and a border of vine leaves around the base.

• They are made of single pieces of granite stone and have identical decorations.
• They were erected in the center of a step platform of stone on a terrace of polished limestone.
• Each of them resembles a tall, slender, multi-storied in the architectural style of Axumite houses and palaces.
• They are decorated with representations of doors, window, and in some case door handles.
• Their top parts are carved in the form of the crescent and disc.
• They may have marked the tombs of important monarchs of ancient time.
• Yet here are no clues to the technology required to quarry and transport them, raise them in the vertical, and stabilizes them in place

The Original Church

• Dedicated to St. Mary and its construction is dated back to the 4th century, during the reign of Ezana.
• It is believed to be the first church in Ethiopia, consecrated by Abba Freminatos, the first bishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
• Perhaps, it was the oldest church in Africa south of Shara.
• It was also the first church to Ethiopia where the Ark of Covenant is believed to have been resided.
• The original one is said to be destroyed first by the legendary Queen Yodit in 9th century and latter by the devastating wars of Ahmed Gragn in the 16th century.
• It is described in the accounts of Francisco Alavarez (leader of the Portuguese mission in 1520 who came to Ethiopia before Ahmed Gragn destructed the Church).

The New Circular Church

• Emperor Haile Selassie commissioned its construction.
• It was opened on the occasion of the visit of Queen Elizabeth of England to Axum in 1965.

The Ark Sanctuary

• It is a small building located between the old and new churches of St. Mary. Emperor Haile Selassie sponsored its construction in 1964.
• It houses the Ark of the Covenant. According to the Ethiopian tradition, king Menelik I, the legendary son of King Solomon of Isreal and the Queen of Sheba brought the Ark  of the Covenant from Jerusalem to Axum.
• No one is allowed enter in to it except a monk who is responsible to take care of it throughout his life. The monk (Guardian) remains in seclusion in the sacred enclosure until his death.

The Treasure House

• Situated at about 3.5km northeast of the town and its construction is attributed to Queen Mintwab.
• It comprises the large outer wall divided by a series of arches, a second circular wall, and then the square sanctuary in the middle.
• The walls of the sanctuary are decorated with the old Gonderine style monuments.
• It houses the skeletal remains of Empress Mintwab, her son Emperor Iyasu II, and grandson Emperor Iyoas, which are put together in a glass-topped box.
• The towers in the surrounding wall of the church compound were used by the priests for storage and as residence.
• East of the church compound, there is another separate compound that comprises ruins of the palace, the residence of Queen Mintwab, a chapel and the reception of hall used by Mintwab, and the residence of Library of James Bruce, Scottish explorer of the 18th century.

Debre Berhane Selassie Church

• It is a museum like building beneath the Ark Sanctuary.
• Empress Mennen (the wife of Emperor Haile Selassie) commissioned its construction.
• The treasures include imperial crown, cloaks, crosses and many other religious icons. Because of the importance of the church of St. Mary Tsion, it had been received gifts from various rulers and important personalities throughout the country

Besides the Stele Park and the church compound, there are many other cultural sites in and around the city of Axum. Since it is very difficult to mention all of them, only the prominent ones are briefly described below.

• It is located in front of the church compound and consists of a large square platform with a small four-sided column at each corner. It was the place where kings are crowned.
• West of the Throne of David, there are a series of 12 stone platforms with the fig tree growing between them. These are locally known as “thrones of the Judges”. The pillar to the east of the throne of David is known as the elephant column because an elephant was tied to it during the celebration.

It houses a remarkable archaeological finds such as Ge’ez and Sabean inscriptions, coins and other artifacts.

• It is the large open-air water cistern and called the Queen of Sheba’s Bath.
• It is a huge water reservoir, hewn out of solid rock and forms the focal point of the annual ceremony of Timket (Ethiopian Epiphany).
• It was supposed to have supplied water to the early city for a larger irrigation system.

• It was erected in the 4th century to record the victories of King Ezana.
• It is written in three scripts: Sabean, Ge’ez and Greek and housed in a specially constructed park in the centre of the town.

• It is located on the Western side of the town, on the outskirts of Axum on the way to Gondar.
• Today the ruins bear the names of Enda Mikael, Enda Simon, and Ta’eka Mariam. The ruins of buildings at Ta’eka Mariam are also call the palace of Queen Sheba.

• They are archaeological finds, located on the Bete Giorgis hill and dated to the 6th century.

The Ruins of Two Ancients Churches

• The tombs include Ramhay, Bazen, Kaleb and Gebre Meskel. The tomb of Ramay is situated within the stele park.
• The tombs comprise a number of underground galleries and chambers, roofed and walled with massive granite blocks fitted together.

The Lioness of Gobodra

• It is located at about 4kms from Axum on the way to Gondar, in the right side of the road.
• It is life-size walking lioness carved in bas-relief on large smooth oblong rock.

• They are located in the northwestern part of the old city.
• The houses constructed in the center of a fenced homestead are either round or rectangular shape, and have two storey.
• Both the houses and the fences are built from stones and a mixture of soils and chaffs are used as glue.
• The roofs were traditionally covered with grass straw but at present all the traditional houses are roofed with corrugated iron sheets.

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