The false doors
Carved at the base.
Katie Hunt from St Albans, UK — CC BY 2.0 · Allamiro — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Martijn.Munneke from Netherlands — CC BY 2.0 · Adam Jones from Kelowna, BC, Canada — CC BY-SA 2.0 · A. Davey from Where I Live Now: Pacific Northwest — CC BY 2.0
The Obelisk of Axum is a 4th-century stone stele, 24 m tall and weighing 160 tonnes, in the city of Axum in the Tigray Region. It is among the best-known survivals of the ancient Kingdom of Aksum, standing with other stelae in a broad field within a site on the UNESCO list. Though it is called an obelisk, it is really a huge marker for an old tomb. These stelae were carved and raised in the time of the Kingdom of Aksum, with decoration resembling doors and windows on every side and two false doors at the base. It ends in a semicircular top once enclosed by metal frames. This stele was taken to Rome in 1937, returned to Axum in April 2005 and later set up again in its place. You walk among standing stelae, some carved, with huge fallen stones before them, the largest being the Great Stele broken on the ground, which lets you see their true size up close. Nearby are underground tombs you can go down into and a small museum. Animals may wander around the site, part of the daily life of the town. It is about 1 km in a straight line from central Axum. Do not climb the fallen stones. The best time is early morning, as the afternoon heat is strong. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to the Tigray region, and access may not be possible, so check official guidance before making any plans.
Carved at the base.
Broken on the ground.
Below the field.
Northern Stelae Field, Axum, Tigray Region, Ethiopia
It was taken to Rome in 1937 and returned to Axum in 2005.
Check official guidance first, as the UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to the Tigray region.