Gondar

Gondar, in the northern highlands, was the imperial capital of Ethiopia for over two centuries, and its remarkable legacy, sometimes called the Camelot of Africa, is unlike anything else on the continent. Its UNESCO royal enclosure, the Fasil Ghebbi, is a walled compound of medieval-style stone castles, palaces and towers built by successive emperors, a striking fusion of Ethiopian, Portuguese and Indian influences. Nearby, the sunken bathing palace of Fasilides and the beautifully painted Debre Berhan Selassie church complete a rich imperial city.

History

The name Gondar first appears under Amda Seyon I as that of a regiment guarding the trade routes, and in 1636 Emperor Fasilides chose the place, where caravans from Sudan and the Red Sea met, for his royal camp, building the castle of Fasil Ghebbi, five churches and the bathing pavilion by the Qaha river known as Fasilides' Bath; his head stonemason was an Indian, Abdal Kerim, and in 1648 a Yemeni ambassador described the palace as a great house of stone and lime, one of the most beautiful of wonders. By Fasilides' death in 1667 the city was so established that his successor Yohannes I made no attempt to found a new capital, and in 1669-1670 he ordered Muslims and Jews to live in quarters of their own, near the Qaha. Gondar served as the capital of the Ethiopian Empire, and its royal castles have earned it the name of the Camelot of Africa (Wikipedia, Gondar).

What's there

• The Fasil Ghebbi - the royal enclosure of stone castles and palaces.
• Fasilides Castle - the great castle of the founding emperor.
• The bath of Fasilides - the sunken bathing palace, flooded at Timkat.
• Debre Berhan Selassie - the church of famous painted angels.

When to go

October to March, the dry season, for the best weather; the Timkat festival in January, when the bathing palace is flooded and crowds gather for the Epiphany celebrations, is an extraordinary time to visit. It is a gateway to the Simien Mountains nearby.

Practical notes

It is remote, in the north, best reached by a short flight, and its castles, while remarkable and unique for Africa, are ruins that take some imagination. As a gateway to the Simien Mountains and a stop on the historic route, and for its unique African castles, though, it is genuinely fascinating.

Nearby

The Simien Mountains, Lake Tana and the northern historic route are within reach.