Adadi Mariam Church

Adadi Mariam is carved down into the rock in the manner of the Lalibela churches, a semi-monolithic building surrounded by a cut trench with a low irregular roof and a plain interior of pillars and small windows. Tradition attributes it to the reign of Lalibela in the twelfth or thirteenth century, when the king is said to have travelled south; the church was abandoned for a long period, reportedly damaged in the sixteenth century, and reopened in the nineteenth. It is the southernmost rock-hewn church in the country and much simpler than those at Lalibela, but it is easy to reach from Addis Ababa and gives a sense of the technique without the journey north. Services are held and a priest shows visitors around.

What you actually see

• The cut trench - the excavated channel around the church.
• The rough-hewn interior - pillars and low ceilings cut from the rock.
• The plain exterior - a simpler building than the Lalibela group.
• A working parish - services and worshippers using the church.

When to go

October to March for the roads. The church is open daily with a priest present. Sunday services and saints' days bring worshippers and change the atmosphere. It combines with Tiya and Melka Kunture in one day.

Honest expectations

This is far simpler and rougher than the Lalibela churches and should not be judged against them. The interior is dark and photography may be restricted or charged. The final stretch of road is rough. Guide fees and donations are expected on top of the ticket.

Nearby

Melka Kunture lies east; Tiya is south.