Visiting the Rock Churches of Lalibela

Lalibela, a small town in northern Ethiopia, is one of the country's holiest and most respected towns. When I traveled to Ethiopia, I wasn't sure I would be able to visit—the flights available online were expensive, and the bus system from Addis Ababa could take two days to get there.

But while I was walking around Addis Ababa one day, I saw the Ethiopian Airlines office and thought I'd stop in. They offered a pretty good rate, so, with no plans, we bought tickets and left the next day to see Lalibela (by the way, they often have the best deals in person, so once you're in Addis, go to Ethiopian Airlines to buy a ticket to Lalibela directly if you're interested).

Lalibela is one of the most culturally and religiously significant towns in Ethiopia. It's also one of the major pilgrimage destinations for Ethiopian Orthodox Christian followers.

The town is known as the New Jerusalem, and King Lalibela, who ruled Ethiopia during the 12th and 13th centuries, is said to have designed it to preserve Jerusalem after it was overtaken by Muslims in 1187.

The ancient urban planning of Lalibela is arranged symbolically as Jerusalem, with even a man-made version of the River Jordan. The most impressive part of visiting Lalibela is touring the incredible monolithic churches. The most remarkable part about the series of churches is that they are carved into the rock, hollowed out from the outside.

Overall, there are 11 main churches in Lalibela, and they are a UNESCO World Heritage site. The two main clusters of churches are the Northern and Eastern groups. Finally, there's a solo church (more info below), which I think is by far the most well-preserved and impressive.

It's best to arrive at the churches in the early morning. You first need to purchase your ticket, which costs a pretty steep $50—but I thought the price was worth it.

It's also recommended that you hire a local guide, who you can either arrange from the ticket entrance office or usually from your hotel. A guide not only helps lead you around but can also be a great source of knowledge.

Once you have your ticket, you can walk around any of the 11 churches. Some are in better condition than others, and some are more incredible.

Seeing the churches from the outside is one thing, but when you go inside and start to think how each church was carved from the outside, from a single giant boulder, you'll really be in awe.

Imagine your house as a solid boulder. Then, using a hammer and chisel, hollow out the insides and carving them out chip by chip across the ceiling.

Our guide detailed all the little symbols and decorations within the churches. The windows were fascinating, many of them with different meanings. Some churches were being renovated and fixed up, but probably at least half were still natural and precisely as they had been for centuries.

Though all the churches at Lalibela were great to see, the Church of Saint George was by far the most impressive and well-preserved. Situated within a massive volcanic rock, the church was carved in the shape of a Lalibela cross. To get inside, you must navigate down a rock-cut alleyway that wraps around the church, with a gradual slope eventually reaching the bottom.

At the base of the Church of Saint George is a small baptismal pool that is considered holy water. On the sides of the rock walls are small hand-carved caves where priests and others sometimes sleep or spend time. The Church of Saint George was incredible; some call it the 8th man-made wonder of the world.

While I'm not a huge fan of visiting indoor museums when I travel, I really appreciate hands-on history, and I especially enjoy historical landmarks still being used. The churches of Lalibela are not only impressive to visit, but the town and churches are an important and sacred destination for many Ethiopians.