BETE MARIAM 

Bete Mariam or „House of Mary“ may be small, but it is the most exquisitely decorated of all the Lalibela churches. The church has some fascinating and unique features. On its eastern wall there are two rows of three windows. The upper set is thought to represent the Holy Trinity; the lower cruciform set is believed to symbolise the crucifiction of Christ, with the two sinners on either side. The lower left window has an opening above it, symbolizing that the sinner, once he had repented of his sins, was forgiven and received into heaven. The lower right window represents the unrepentent sinner, who descended into damnation. On the western facade there is a bas-relief of St George fighting the dragon. The ceilings and upper walls of the chapel are covered in very early frescoes and the columns and arches feature beautiful carvings. 

BETE MEDHANI ALEM 

Bete Medhani Alem or „House of the Savior of the World“ is built like a Greek temple and is believed to be the largest monolithic church in the world. It is completely surrounded by square columns and has an additional twenty-eight collosal columns supporting the roof. Inside, it has five aisles. Three empty graves have been symbolically dug for the biblical patriarchs Abraham, Issac and Jacob.

BETE DENAGEL 

Bete Denagel or „House of Virgins“ is a semi-monolithic church and the most roughly-hewn of all the Lalibela churches. The church has no windows and is partly a grotto church, and partially carved out of the rock. The facade of Bete Degagel is level with the courtyard of Bete Mariam. 

 BETE MASKAL 

Bete Maskal or „House of the Cross“ is a grotto church, carved into the northern wall of the courtyard at Bete Maryam. Inside the chapel, the narrow gallery is divided by a row of four pillars. Carved windows contain various crosses, such as Maltese and Greek.    

BETE GOLGOTHA AND BETE MIKAEL 

Bete Golgotha or „House of Golgotha“ and Bete Mikael or „House of Michael“ are not counted as two separate churches, as they are served by one entrance, which lies along a trench at the southern end of Bete Maryam. Bete Mikael, featuring many relief-carved crosses, serves as a passage into Bete Golgotha. These twin churches are semi-monolithic i.e. they are not completely separated from the main rock. 

Within Bete Golgotha, the Selassie Chapel is regarded as the holiest shrine in Lalibela. It contains a relief carving of angels representing the Tomb of Christ and beneath a moveable stone covering lies the tomb of King Lalibela. Bete Golgotha’s treasures include some of the earliest examples of Ethiopian Christian art as well as life-size relieve carvings of the twelve apostles, four of which re visible. The remaining 8 are within the Selassie Chapel, which may only be entered by priests.

BETE EMANUEL 

Bete Emanuel or „House of Emmanuel“ is a beautifully-carved three-story church of typical ancient Axumite architectural style, with projecting and recessing walls. It is believed that Bete Emanuel was formerly the royal chapel. Its exterior walls are decorated with ornate carvings and windows. 

BETE QEDDUS MERCOREUS 

Bete Qeddus Mercoreus or „House of St. Mercoreos“ is a large, irregular-shaped church that does not conform to the conventional norms in terms of its orientation and form. Restoration to damange that was caused over the ages has not done the church justice, but inside one can still view breathtaking murals including one depicting The Passion of Christ. It is believed that some of the original art from Bete Mercoreus has been taken to the National Museum in Addis Ababa, for safekeeping. 

Reaching Bete Mercoreus can be an adventure. If you are up for the challenge, you can opt to enter via a 35-meter narrow tunnel though the rock. Walking in the pitch-dark, one hand touching the cold stone ceiling, another hand touching the wall (to guide you), you can move forward slowly, pondering the brevity of life and what lies beyond. The pathway is referred to by some as „The Pathway to Paradise“, as the darkness symbolises hell. Emerging into the sunlight after this experience can leave one feeling very elated.  

BETE ABBA LIBANOS

Bete Abba Libanos or „House of Abbot Libanos“ is a rectangular church, carved horizontally into a steep cliff face. When beholding the church from the front, one gets the impression that the church was builit inside a cave, with the rock above creating the ceiling. A passageway is carved around the sides and back of the building. The church is linked to a structure called Bete Lehem or „The House of Bread“ 

BETE GABRIEL RAPHAEL 

Bete Gabriel Raphael or „House of the angels Gabriel and Raphael“ can be accessed via a narrow bridge which spans across a waterless moat. The long columns that make up the western façade are shaped in what has been referred to as Axumite style, due to the obvious resemblance to the tops of the obelisks found in the ancient city of Axum. The carved windows display the same shape, giving the building a sense of palatial grandeur. The courtyard houses a well and an underground cistern. The church is made up of two parts, named after the archangels Gabriel and Raphael respectively. Scholars speculate about the original purpose of this building. Some say that it was once an ancient palace, linked to a royal bakery. Church services are still conducted in Bete Gabriel. 

BETE LEHEM 

Bete Lehem or „House of Holy Bread“ is the last church in this cluster. A carved stone tunnel leads from Bete Emanuel to Mercurios and then on to Bete Lehem. Named after the town where Christ was born, this humble chapel offers no obvious adornments. Its conical facade wraps around a circular room, featuring a tree trunk as it central pillar.

BETE GIYORGIS    

Bete Giyorgis or „House of St George“ is most recognizable for its cruficorm shape, which has become the postcard photo for Lalibela. Located on the northern side of the Jordan River, but further downstream of the northwestern cluster of churches, Bete Giyorgis lies on its own, cradled within its rock crib. This masterpiece of architecture stands 15 meters high and has three levels, perfectly carved into a sloping rock terrace. Inside the chapel light filters in from the windows, illuminating the large crosses on the ceiling. Two 800-year-old olive  wood boxes, believed to have been carved by King Lalibela himself, hold priceless church treasures. The walls surrounding the church contain chambers, holding mummified corpses of monks

The monastery of Na‘akuto Le’ab, built by Lalibela’s predecessor, is located six kilometers outside the town of Lalibela and accessible by car. The monastery is built in a natural cave, and believed to the site of a much older shrine. The red-brick building inside the cave was built by Empress Zewditu. The church has a treasured selection of ancient religious paintings, manuscrips and memorabilia.

Hike up to the Asheton Maryam, which is situated on the top of a mountain. You can be driven part of the way and then have a 1 hour scenic hike, with mules, to the top of the mountains. A picnic lunch can be provided for you to enjoy.  The route covers some spectacular mountain scenery before climbing a staircase chiseled into the rock face of the mountain, through a narrow gully, and finally emerging at the church itself. This monastery is also associated with King Na’akuto La’ab, who most probably founded it and may even be buried in the chapel. It is best to set out in the cool of the early morning and return about midday. The path is rather steep in parts and strewn with loose stones. The maximum altitude is almost 3,000 meters.

For those living in and around Lalibela the weekly Saturday market is the main trade event of the week. Amid the organized chaos you can shop for treasures whilst experiencing authentic Ethiopian highlands lifestyle and culture.  Vendors from the countryside beyond Lalibela journey for hours, some using pack donkeys to transport their wares; others carry their merchandise on their backs, or pile it atop their heads. Makeshift stalls are erected using Eucalyptus poles and tarpaulins or locally-made cloth, to protect the products and their sellers from the harsh sun. Some use umbrellas, but others brave the elements, rather using their tarpaulins as a ground cover on which to display their goods. Bags brimming with grains, feature prized teff, from which the staple flatbread injera is prepared. There are dried beans, lentils and split peas. Piles of freshly unearthed ginger & garlic, fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables – organically grown; and fragrant piles of dried chilies, spices and herbs. Delicious golden honey, fresh eggs and green coffee beans add to the selection. You will also find livestock – mainly goats and chickens. Cotton fabrics, colourful hand-woven baskets, household wares and clothing. Last but not least, look out for ready-prepared injera, stacked high within the traditional woven baskets with their conical lids.

Although it is easy to experience a traditional coffee ceremony throughout Ethiopia, there is an added dimension of authenticity when experiencing it in the rural parts of the country.

Located in a humble brick building, above the XO Restaurant, the Lalibela Cultural Center offers a small but valuable collection of ethnographic and religious artifacts and manuscripts. The information panels give an excellent account of Lalibela’s history and archaeology, with some fascinating finds from the various archaeological sites around Lalibela contributing to the wow factor of the experience.