The castle of Fasilides
Several floors, a top terrace.
Bernard Gagnon — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Francesco Bandarin — CC BY-SA 3.0 igo · Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada — CC BY-SA 2.0 · Francesco Bandarin — CC BY-SA 3.0 igo
Fasil Ghebbi is a fortress in the city of Gondar in the Amhara Region, founded in the 17th century by Emperor Fasilides and the home of Ethiopian emperors. UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1979. The sight of its stone castle with round towers takes you by surprise, as it looks closer to the castles of Europe than to what you expect in East Africa. Its architecture shows diverse influences, including Portuguese, Hindu and Arab. The Amharic word ghebbi means a compound or enclosure. The complex includes the castle of Fasilides, the palace of Iyasu I, the hall of Dawit III, the castle of Empress Mentewab, a chancellery and library of Yohannes I, a banqueting hall of Bakaffa, stables and three churches, built by generations of emperors. You walk among brown stone buildings with crenellations, oval domes and round towers. The finest is the castle of Fasilides with its several floors and a terrace on top looking over the city. The palace of Iyasu has lost its roof, leaving walls with tall arches. An outer wall keeps the place calm and full of trees. There is sometimes scaffolding. It stands in central Gondar, within walking distance, and about 80 km in a straight line from Simien Mountains National Park. Take a local guide, as the complex is large and the history rich. 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.
Several floors, a top terrace.
Walls with tall arches.
Above the round towers.
Central Gondar, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Its architecture blends Portuguese, Hindu and Arab influences.
Check official guidance first, as the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to the Amhara region.