 | Gonder Things To Do | Tips 1 - 10 of 40 |  |
Popular Things To Do | Other Things To Do Tips | All Tips (40) Gonder is attractive because of its castles and churches. Gonder became the capital of the country in 1636 for the next 200 years, started by Emperor Fasilades. The Gonderine period in Ethiopia is one of the most colourful ones.
The recent restored Fasilades' Palace is the most striking place in the Royal Enclosure in the towncentre of Gonder. The area of the whole enclosure is about 75.000 sq metres and a nice and shady place to look around for some hours.
Opening hours:
daily 8.30am - 5.30 pm
lunchbreak 12.30 - 1.30pm
Admission: 50 Birr. Leave a Comment Directions: Gonder lies at the historical route in north-west Ethiopia, north of Lake Tana. The Royal Enclosure is just south of the towncentre.
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The Debre Berhan Selasssi Churchin Gonder, meaning ''Trinity at the Mount of Light'', is one of the most famous churches of the country and one of the highlights of Gonder, because of its ceiling.
At the ceiling you will see the heads of 80 Ethiopian Cherubs. All the faces have a different expression. I allready saw pictures of this ceiling many times, but to be there and see it yourself was very impressive.
Opening hours: daily 5am - 6pm
Admission: 15 Birr Leave a Comment Directions: 2 km northeast of the citycentre and the Royal Enclosure in Gonder
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Nextdoor to the Palace of Fasilades is the Palace of Iyasu I, the son of Yohannes I. He reigned from 1682 to 1706 and was one of the greatest rulers of the Gonderine period.
The palace is two-storeyed and saddle-shaped. In former times it was richily decorated and furnished with beautiful Venetian mirrors and chairs, paintings, ivory and gold leafs. The earthquake in 1704 and the bombing in the 1040s by the English have demolished the interior. Leave a Comment Directions: The Royal Enclosure is just south of the townncentre of Gonder at walking distance.
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In the compound within the walls are more ruins and buildings of later periods. So we saw the ruins of a bathing pool, the remains of the Emperor Dawit's Hall and the House of Song. Dawit, ruling from 1716 till 1712, has built also a Lion house, where the Abyssinian lions were kept.
After Dawit was poisoned the next emperor Bakaffa built a huge banqueting hall and stables. The last castle that was built, is the Mentewab's castle, which is now used as a public library. Leave a Comment Directions: The Royal Enclosure is a few minutes walk north of the towncentre of Gonder.
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From the rooftop of the Fasilades Palace we had a great view at the other buildings of the Royal Enclosure, especially the library and the chancellary.
The library of Yohannes, Fasilades' son (ruling from 1667 till 1706), is a two-storeyed quadrangular building. The chancellary has a tower and was once an impressive decorated palace. Leave a Comment Directions: The Royal Enclosure is north of the towncentre of Gonder.
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You can visit the just restored Fasiladas' Palace. The palace is built of roughly hewn brown basalt stones and has two storeys and four small domed towers. The palace is designed by an Indian architect and shows an unusual mixture of Indian, Portuguese, Moorish and Aksumite influences.
On the groundfloor you can see the dining room and reception area. On the first floor is the prayerroom of Fasilades with four windows, having a view at one of the churches in Gonder. On the rooftop Fasilades held religious ceremonies. From here and from the tower at the south west corner you have great views at the enclosure and the surrounding area. Leave a Comment Address: GonderDirections: The Royal Enclosure is just south of the towncentre at walking distance.
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Fasilades bath lies just outside of town. When you enter this historical site, the first thing you see is the two storeyed tower, overlooking the rectangular pool.
The pool is not the bathing pool of Fasilades, but is constructed for religious celebrations like the annual Timkat ceremony. During Timkat they fill the pool with water, so the people can jump in. The ceremony replicates the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River.
The opening hours are the same as the Royal Enclosure. The entrance fee is included in the ticket for the Enclosure. Leave a Comment Directions: 2KM northwest of the citycentre of Gonder
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Not only the famous ceiling of the Debre Berhan Selasssie Church makes it worth to visit the interior. At the walls you can also find beautiful and colourful paintings of almost all the Ethiopian saints and martyrs. For an explanation about the Ethiopian saints you can have a look at my Bahir Dar page.
The ceiling and the wall paintings are made by the same artist, Haile Meskel. You can also find a portrait of Emperor Iyasus, the founder of this church. And look out for an image of the prophet Mohammed on a camel being led by a devil and the depiction of hell, looking like the paintings of Jeroen Bosch.
Opening hours: daily 5am - 6pm
Admission: 15 Birr Leave a Comment Directions: 2 km northeast of the citycentre and the Royal Enclosure in Gonder
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Fasilades bath lies just outside of town. It's a lovely and peaceful place. Around the bath, empty at the time of our visit, is a wall> At some places this wall is covered with the roots of the surrounding trees. It's amazing to see, so walk around and have a look at the backside of the bath.
Walking around in this almost serene place, you can hardly imagine the crowds, visiting this place at the Timkat ceremony. Then you have to take care, that other people don't step on your feet.
The opening hours are the same as the Royal Enclosure. The entrance fee is included in the ticket for the Royal Enclosure. So bring this ticket with you, because there is no possiblity to buy tickets at the Fasilades' bath site. Leave a Comment Directions: 2KM northwest of the citycentre of Gonder
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The Debre Berhan Selassie Churh, meaning ''Trinity at the Mount of Light'' lies in the north-east part of Gonder. The church is surrounded by a wall and you have to enter the compound by a gate.
Some people think, that the Emperor planned to bring the Ark of the Convenant from Aksum to Gonder and that the Debre Berhan Selassie Church was designed and constructed with the purpose to house the Ark of the Convenant.
Opening hours: daily 5am - 6pm
Admission: 15 Birr Leave a Comment Directions: 2 km northeast of the citycentre and the Royal Enclosure in Gonder
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on August 22, 2004
