Stone pavilion
In the pool.
Chuck Moravec — CC BY 2.0 · cotterillmike — CC0 · Chuck Moravec — CC BY 2.0 · Bernard Gagnon — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Chuck Moravec — CC BY 2.0
Fasilides' Bath is a two-storey stone pavilion with balconies and small turrets, standing in the middle of a large rectangular pool in Gondar. A stone wall surrounds the pool, wrapped in the roots of huge fig trees that seem to swallow the stones. It is attributed to Emperor Fasilides in the 17th century, though some sources credit Iyasu I, and its exact date is unknown. The French traveller Charles-Jacques Poncet described a bathhouse matching it when he was in Gondar in 1699. It is part of the Fasil Ghebbi UNESCO World Heritage Site. The pool stays empty most of the year and is filled once a year for Timkat, the Ethiopian Epiphany in January, when thousands gather after the ceremonies and worshippers plunge into the water. On other days you walk around the pool and under the trees. It is about 2 km in a straight line northwest of central Gondar. The site is very crowded at the festival, so book a room early if you want to see it. 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.
In the pool.
Over the walls.
In January.
Northwest of central Gondar, Amhara region
Usually only for Timkat in January.
Very, during the festival.
