Religious Building · Lalibela, Ethiopia
Lalibela Rock Churches
Lalibela (Amharic: ላሊበላ, romanized: Lalibäla) is a town in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia.
Photo: Sailko via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Cropped and resized for display.
Landmark facts
| Location | Lalibela, Ethiopia |
|---|---|
| Type | Religious Building |
| Elevation | Elevation: 2500 m |
| Coordinates | 12.0317° N, 39.0411° E |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
What Lalibela Rock Churches is known for
Lalibela (Amharic: ላሊበላ, romanized: Lalibäla) is a town in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia.
About Lalibela Rock Churches
Lalibela (Amharic: ላሊበላ, romanized: Lalibäla) is a town in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Located in the Lasta district and North Wollo Zone, it is a tourist site for its famous rock-cut monolithic churches designed in contrast to the earlier monolithic churches in Ethiopia. The whole of Lalibela is a large and important site for the antiquity, medieval, and post-medieval civilization of Ethiopia.
History
There is some controversy as to when some of the churches were constructed. According to local tradition, in Ethiopia prior to his accession to the throne, Gebre Meskel Lalibela was guided by Jesus on a tour of Jerusalem, and instructed to build a second Jerusalem in Ethiopia. Accordingly, Lalibela, traditionally known as Roha, was founded during the Zagwe dynasty under the rule of King Gebre Meskel Lalibela (r.
How to get there
| Nearest town | Lalibela |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Mekele Airport (MQX) |
| Distance from the airport | 104.5 miles (straight line) |
Nearest major airport by straight-line distance from the landmark’s coordinates; road distance will be longer.
Airports near this landmark
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Mekele Alula Aba Nega Airport (MQX) · Mekele, Ethiopia · 104.6 miles away
- Gondar Airport (GDQ) · Azezo, Ethiopia · 113.6 miles away
- Bahir Dar Airport (BJR) · Bahir Dar, Ethiopia · 119.9 miles away
Landmarks nearby
The closest landmarks in this library, by straight-line distance.
More landmarks in Ethiopia
More religious buildings
Frequently asked questions
What is Lalibela Rock Churches?
Lalibela (Amharic: ላሊበላ, romanized: Lalibäla) is a town in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia.
Where is Lalibela Rock Churches located?
Lalibela Rock Churches is in Lalibela, Ethiopia. Its coordinates are 12.0317° N, 39.0411° E.
How do I get to Lalibela Rock Churches?
The nearest town is Lalibela, and the nearest airport is Mekele Airport (MQX), about 104.5 miles away (straight line).
What is the history of Lalibela Rock Churches?
There is some controversy as to when some of the churches were constructed. According to local tradition, in Ethiopia prior to his accession to the throne, Gebre Meskel Lalibela was guided by Jesus on a tour of Jerusalem, and instructed to build a second Jerusalem in Ethiopia.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lalibela — Wikipedia article — overview, history and core facts (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q207590 — Wikidata — built year, architect, height/size, visitors, official website (CC0).
- https://github.com/jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports — Nearest major airport computed from landmark and airport coordinates (haversine); airport list: jbrooksuk/JSON-Airports.
Page last updated 13 November 2026.