Ethiopia: monasteries on Lake Tana

02/04/2021 Ethiopia



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Ethiopia has a number of unexplored sites that are impressive and of greater cultural, historical, religious and economic importance.

The monasteries that are located on Lake Tana and its surroundings are the best example in this regard. Among the thirty-seven islands on Lake Tana, about 19 have monasteries.

The remains of ancient Ethiopian emperors and the treasures of the Ethiopian Church are kept on this isolated island. Some of these monasteries are said to have housed the Ark of the Covenant before it was moved to Axum.

Visit to the monasteries of Lake Tana

Kebran Gabriel

Kebran Gabriel, the closest monastery to Bahir Dar, is a main tourist attraction for male visitors only, as this is one of the places where women are prohibited. Originally established in the 14th century and rebuilt during the reign of Emperor Lyasu I (1682-1706), it is a modest but impressive building with a distinctive cathedral atmosphere.

The round roof is supported by twelve pillars made of carved stones that symbolize the twelve apostles. The monastery is also famous for a magnificent manuscript of the Four Gospels that is believed to date back to at least the late 14th or early 15th century.

Ura Kidane Mehret

The largest and most famous monastery on the Zege peninsula is not the most attractive from the outside, but its maqdas (inner sanctuary) are beautifully painted. Just a 25-minute walk from the ship’s landing point, you will reach the monastery, passing through coffee plantations under the shade of tall trees. This monastery was founded in the 14th century by a saint named Betre Maryam.

The circular church was built in the 16th century. Its architectural style is a typical example of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church which has a round mud plastered wall with a conical thatched roof. The monastery is highly decorated with beautifully painted, colorful and vibrant frescoes depicting scenes from biblical tradition and the history of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Both men and women are allowed entry and there is also a small museum, the Zege Satekela Museum, for visitors to learn about handmade objects and musical instruments that are still used in local communities.

On the peninsula there are other monasteries such as Azwa Maryam, Mahilzegie Giorgis, Betre Maryam and Yiganda Tekele Haymanot. These monasteries on the peninsula are open to both men and women.

Debre Maryam

The original church was built in the 14th century (some say the 12th century) and was rebuilt by Tewodros in the 19th century.

Dagger Estefanos

The third main attraction among the islands in Lake Tana is Dega Estefanos, which, like Kebran Gabriel, is closed to women. Located on a hill about 100 meters above the lake, a short walk along a winding path takes you to a low, round, thatched-roof building that houses the monks, and near an arch in a high stone wall that leads to a grassy clearing, in the center of which is the church of San Esteban.

This monastery is of true historical interest, it houses brightly colored ceremonial robes, a 16th century painting of the Virgin painted during the reign of Emperor Zara Yaqob (1434-1468) and the mummified remains of five Ethiopian emperors (Yekuno Amlak, who restored the dynasty to the throne in 1270; Dawit, late 14th century; Zara Yaqob, 15th century; Za Dengel, early 17th century; and Fasilidas, also 17th century) that visitors can see in modern glass-walled coffins.

Certainly Daga Estafanos was a popular retreat for several of the aforementioned kings, and its tranquility is said to have also been favored by Tewodros II, who communed there on several occasions.

According to local beliefs, the founder of this monastery was a saint who sailed to the island in 1268 on a stone ship. The ‘ship’ is still visible halfway to the monastery.

Narga Selassie

Narga Selassie, meaning “Trinity of the Rest,” was built on Dek Island, the largest island in Lake Tana in the late 18th century by Empress Mintewab. The church is one of the calmest and most atmospheric on Lake Tana and is located in an extremely beautiful location.

The church has a Gonderian influence, the interior walls are covered from top to bottom with a rampant and absorbing collection of paintings, most of which are believed to date from the 18th century.

The beautiful original paintings include a portrait of Mentewab. There is also a bas-relief at the main entrance depicting the Scottish traveler James Bruce with his pipe. James Bruce visited the capital, Gondar, in the late 18th century.

Tana Cherkos

Tana Cherkos, the oldest monastery in Ethiopia, is located on the eastern shore of Lake Tana, where you can observe life and rituals that have hardly changed since the Old Testament. This monastery had been used as one of the four ancient Jewish places of worship where sacrificial stones are still found.