Located in the Amhara region of northern Ethiopia, the 11 rock-hewn churches of Lalibela have been called the Eighth Wonder of the World and were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978
The Church of Saint George, known locally as Bete Giyorgis, was built by King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela of the Zagwe dynasty and remains a site of huge cultural and religious significance.
The last of the eleven rock-hewn churches to be built in Lalibela, the Church of Saint George, known locally as Bete Giyorgis, was built by King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela of the Zagwe dynasty and remains a site of huge cultural and religious significance.
According to popular mythology, the king had an apparition in which one of God’s angels told him of plans for a building which could bring heaven down to Earth.
Inspired by his vision, the king commissioned the project to build the Church of Saint George. The mythology continues, insisting that upon its completion the same angels visited the site, and blessed all those who were present.
It is said that the hoof-prints of the white stallion that St George rode on the day the church was completed can still be found imprinted in the rocks surrounding the church.
