Day 3
Gonder to Axum
The Ruins of Aksum
Early morning flight to Axum. Upon arrival to Axum, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel. Today will be a full day visiting the sites of Axum, including the famous obelisks (one that was recently erected after being returned from Italy) and the archeological museum, the Queen of Sheba’s Bath (which supplies water to Axum year-round), Ezana’s encryption, King Kaleb’s tomb, King Bazen’s tomb, and the Queen of Sheba’s Palace. You can also visit the St. Mary of Zion church, where the Ark of the Covenant is kept. Men only are allowed to enter the old church. Unfortunately, no one (except one specially chosen guardian monk) is allowed to enter the chapel where the Ark is kept.
Axum Tsion St. Mary
The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion is an Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Ethiopia. It is claimed to contain the Ark of the Covenant. It is one of the sacred places for the faithful of Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahdo Church, believed to be well over 40 million according to recent statistics. The church in Axum Tsion is as old as Christianity in Ethiopia. The city of Axum itself was a seat of Axumite Kingdom in the ancient time, one of the strongest Christian Kingdoms outside of Europe. An elaborate Obelisk of more than 24 meters from that era still stands in the city and is one tourist attraction sites in Ethiopia. Christians, or anyone, who are into visiting a sacred site, Axum is a destination worth traveling to.