Before departing Ethiopia, we went to several significant sites in the capital city of Addis Ababa. In the city center stand three monuments commemorating the defeat of Italian colonizers and the eventual national sovereignty. 

Statue of Emperor Menelik II – In 1896 he led the Ethiopian forces against the Italians at the Battle of Adwa in the north part of the country. 

Adwa Victory Memorial – The large sculpture stands just outside the entrance of the Adwa Zero Kilometer Museum, which features numerous exhibits of military artifacts and national heroes. The museum site was the starting point (0 km) of the Ethiopian army’s march to Adwa.

Arat Kilo Monument in Meyazia 27 Square – Emperor Haile Selassie built the monument upon his coronation in 1930. The Ethiopian Lion of Judah stands on top and the reliefs commemorate the eventual liberation from the Italians.

Holy Trinity Cathedral – Unfortunately this beautiful building was undergoing renovation during our time in Addis Ababa. We will have to return to see the beautiful Biblical and historical murals, stained glass windows depicting Old and New Testament scenes plus Ethiopian history, and a replica of the Ark of the Covenant. The original construction began in 1931 under Emperor Haile Selassie’s leadership. The Italian occupation of 1936-1941 slowed much of the interior work. The cathedral, finished in 1944, symbolizes victory and liberation. The structure, with its copper-clad dome and carved stone towers, is still an active cathedral. It is the second most important place of worship in the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion in Axum, with the original Ark of the Covenant, is the most significant Orthodox church in the country. 

The cathedral building and surrounding complex also serve as a burial place for Ethiopian dignitaries, patriots, royal family members, and public figures. Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Wayzaro Menen are entombed inside the church. 

National Museum of Ethiopia – The museum’s extensive, historical collection spans prehistoric fossils to 20th-century art. Like most visitors, we especially wanted to see the fossilized remains of “Lucy” (Australopithecus afarensis.) Her skeleton is one of the oldest and most complete hominid skeletons ever discovered. Scientists estimate that she lived about 3.2 million years ago. “Lucy’s” actual bones are stored securely, and what we saw was a high-quality replica.

Nearby the “Lucy” exhibit is the fossilized skeleton of “Selam”, which means peace in many Ethiopian languages. Archeologists discovered her remains in 2000. The sign beside her partial skeleton states: “She represents the earliest and the most complete skeleton of a child human ancestor ever discovered in the history of paleoanthropology. She was about 3 years old when she died 3.3 million years ago.” Scientists estimate she lived about 150,000 years before “Lucy”.

A few more items in the museum’s extensive collection:

Ethiopian cuisine  – Ethiopians usually eat with their hands, using small pieces of a special flatbread to scoop up foods from an individual or communal plate. Injera, the flatbread, is really more like a spongy, thin pancake made from fermented teff. A large part of the country’s cuisine is tied to Ethiopian Orthodox Christian beliefs and practices. The Christians observe up to 250 fasting days a year (including Wednesdays and Fridays) where they abstain from meat and all animal products. So, restaurants offer fasting plates and a variety of separate vegan dishes year round.  We enjoyed the fasting plates and vegan dishes we ordered during our country visit. Typical plant-based sources of protein in Ethiopian cuisine include injera, lentils, chickpeas, and other legumes. 

Food