Arched porches
At the entrances.
Bernard Gagnon — CC BY-SA 3.0 · MarcD. — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Radosław Botev — CC BY 3.0 pl · BluesyPete — CC BY-SA 3.0 · MarcD. — CC BY-SA 3.0
Bete Maryam is a small church carved from a single block of rock inside a sunken courtyard, a few steps from Bete Medhane Alem in Lalibela. Its entrances have small arched porches, and windows of different shapes are cut into its red walls. Its exact date is unknown. Tradition credits it to the reign of King Lalibela of the Zagwe dynasty, who ruled from about 1181 to 1221, and archaeological studies suggest the Lalibela rock churches were cut in two phases between the 11th and early 13th centuries. It is part of the Lalibela churches UNESCO World Heritage Site. A small pool is carved into the rock of the courtyard, and the whole facade can be seen from the rim of the pit. Passages and tunnels in the rock link it to the neighbouring churches, so it is usually visited together with Bete Medhane Alem. It is about 550 m in a straight line from central Lalibela. Take off your shoes to enter and keep quiet during prayers. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to the Amhara region, and access may not be possible, so check official guidance before making any plans.
At the entrances.
In varied shapes.
Cut in the rock.
Northern group of rock-hewn churches, Lalibela, Amhara region
Bete Medhane AlemBete Medhane Alem, the «House of the Saviour of the World», is a whole church ca1 minute walk
Bete AmanuelBete Amanuel is a church carved from a single block of red rock in Lalibela and 4 minutes walk
Church of Saint GeorgeThe Church of Saint George, known as Bete Giyorgis, is one of eleven rock-hewn c4 minutes walkAbout half an hour.
Yes, with neighbouring Bete Medhane Alem.