Rock Hewn Churches Of Gheralta
The Gheralta place of Tigray has more than one hundred twenty rock-hewn church buildings, every with its own specific historic work of art and relics. You don’t have to be a person of faith to be moved via the way a way of life has preserved its history and historical past.
The rock churches in and around Gheralta, scattered erratically are famous for his or her stone workmanship, historic paintings and antique manuscripts, and others known for his or her staggering view and tough ascent. Such first-rate church buildings as Abune Yemata (Guh), Mariam Korkor, Debretsion (Abune Abraham), Yohhanes Maequddi, Abune Gebre Mikael and Selassie Degum are inside the very coronary heart of Gheralta, making it the home of rock churches.
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ABUNA YEMATA GUH
There’s nowhere on earth quite like Abuna Yemata Guh. Although less impressive architecturally than most, the church is spectacularly sited within a cliff face, halfway up a sheer rock pinnacle 4km west of Megab. The first 45 minutes of the climb is mildly challenging, with a couple of tricky sheer sections requiring toe hold action. The last two minutes require nerves of steel to make the final scramble and precarious ledge walk over a 200m drop.
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MIKAEL DEBRE SELAM
This church or ‘church within a church’ has an exceptional brown-and-white, Aksumitestyle facade fronting its inner rock-hewn section. The bright, modern paintings at the front and its beautiful carved arch add an odd but interesting contrast. The 45-minute, one-way climb is strenuous but otherwise not difficult.
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MARYAM KORKOR
This impressive, cross-shaped church is known for its architectural features (cruciform pillars, arches and cupolas), fine 17th-century frescos and church treasures. It’s also one of the largest churches in the area. The path begins around 1km from the road just southeast of Megab and involves a fairly steep one-hour ascent. Maryam Korkor is easily combined with nearby Abuna Yemata Guh into an all-day trek from Megab.
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