Jimma and the Abba Jifar Palace

Jimma was the capital of the kingdom of Jimma, one of the Gibe states, and its best-known ruler was Abba Jifar II, who reigned from 1878 to 1932 and built a palace on a hill at Jiren above the town: a timber and stone complex with a mosque, watchtower, reception halls and living quarters, distinctive for its stepped roofs and wooden galleries. The building has been restored in phases and can be visited. The city below is the centre of Ethiopia's southwestern coffee region, and Kaffa, from which the word coffee is generally derived, lies nearby; the Jimma museum holds regional material. The surrounding countryside is green, wet and forested compared with most of the country, with coffee growing wild in the understorey.

The main sights

• The hilltop palace - Abba Jifar's timber and stone complex at Jiren.
• The palace mosque - the religious building within the compound.
• The city museum - regional history and ethnography in Jimma.
• Coffee country - the wet green forested landscape around the city.

When to go

October to February is driest; the southwest is one of the wettest regions in Ethiopia and rain falls over a long season. Coffee harvest runs roughly October to December.

Good to know

The palace has been restored unevenly and parts may be closed or under work. Interpretation is limited. Jimma is a working city with heavy traffic and few visitor facilities. The drive from Addis Ababa is long, and flights are the practical alternative.

Nearby

Kafa biosphere reserve lies southwest; Bonga is beyond it.