INTERESTING

FACTS ABOUT
ADDIS ABABA

1. The first bank established was the

"Bank of Abyssinia" in 1905.
2. Dagmawi Menelik Hospital was in
1909 the first hospital built in Addis
Ababa. It was built to accommodate
200 patients.
3. Ethiopian
Telecommunications
Corporation
was
established
on
March 9, 1894, it included telegraph

CONT

4.The
first
telegraph
line
was
constructed between Addis Ababa and
Harar in 1899.
5.The first law requiring Addis Ababans
to pay taxes to the municipality was
enacted in 1942.
6.In 1902 tap water was first installed in
the Palace, it cost 7000 birr.
7.TO.MO.CA. Coffee Shop was the first
coffee company, it was established in

CONT

8.The first locomotive was brought to

Addis Ababa in 1904 and it was used
to transport construction material into
the city to build houses and other
structures.
9.The first public toilets were built in
1975, there were 30 of them.
10.The first Boeing jets landed in the
city on December 3, 1962.

CONT

12.In 1905, the first school modeled after

western education was opened with
teachers who came from Alexandria,
Egypt.
13.

Mercato, formerly known as mercato

indigino is the largest outdoor market in
Africa, it started off as a segregated
Ethiopians only market during the 5-year
Italian
occupation,
hence
the
term
indigino for indigenous.

14.The National Palace, located near the

CONT

15.The old post office by Piassa used to be

the home of Mohammed Ali, a very well
known Indian merchant from Gujurat who
introduced abujedi and much more to the
city.
16.There's a Karl Marx monument located
inside Debab Restaurant across the street
from Addis Ababa University main campus.
It's a reminisce of the country's communist
past.
17.Alembekagn, also known as cerchele, is

CONT

18.Driving regulations required that cars

drive on the left side of the road until it
was changed in 1964 to right handed
traffic.
19.Itege Taitu proclaimed a law requiring
every citizen to send their 7 to 21 year old
children to school or get fined 50 birr.
20.May 5th is the day that marked the
beginning and the end of the Italian
occupation of Ethiopia. On May 5th of 1936
the Italian army marched into Addis

CONT

21.The present day Piassa used to be a segregated

market place reserved for Italians during the 5year occupation of Ethiopia.
22.Mexico Square was built to recognize Mexico's
support for Ethiopia as it was the only nation in
the League of Nations to have condemned Italy's
occupation. In return, Mexico named a metro
station stop after Ethiopia.
23.Addis Ababa University was first founded as the
University College of Addis Ababa in 1950, it was
then renamed Haileselassie I University in 1962,
and in 1975 it was renamed Addis Ababa

ATTRACTIONS
SURROUNDING
ADDIS ABABA

MELKA-KUNATRE
PREHISTORIC
SITE
The Melkam-Kunture Prehistoric Site lies near the Awash
River Gorge some 50 km south of Addis.
It is one of the most important stone age sites in
Ethiopia, where hand axes and various other implements
have been found.
Homo erectus fossils dating back from between 1.5 and
1.7 million years have also been found at the site.
An informative tukul style museum displays a collection
of prehistoric skull replicas modeld after findings
throughout Africa and an open air excavation site and
prehistoric animal butchering site lies a short walk away.

ADADI MARIAM ROCK-HEWN

CHURCH

A pleasant drive south of Addis 68 kms is

Adadi Mariam, a 13th century rock-hewn
church that is Ethiopia's southernmost
church of its type.
The rock hewn church of Adadi Mariam, is
much like the Lalibela churches and the
locals believe it to have been built on King
lalibela orders on his visit to Mount Zuqwala
in 1106.

TIYA STEALE
FIELD

Located some 30 km south of Adadi Marym Rock hewn

church.
Inscribes as UNESCO world heritage site in 1980.
It is the northern limit of a belt of at least 160 steale
(obelisk) fields stretching through southern Ethiopia from
Dilla to Negelle Borena.
The steale field comprises more than 40 stones, some
standing 2 m tall.
Remains of young people aged between 18 - 30 have been
discovered here which had been buried in fetal positions.

DEBRE LIBANOS
CHURCH &
Drive
110 kms north from Addis
over the Entoto
PORTUGUESE
BRIDGE
Mountains passing through the Sululta Plains to the
Monastery of Debre Libanos founded in the 13th
century by Abune Tekle Haymanot.
Overlooking Jemma River Gorge, a tributary of the
Blue Nile, the Monastery owns ecclesiastical,
cultural and historical relics, and boasts a rare
grove of trees that have disappeared from
elsewhere in the region.
The modern church built by Haile Selassie in 1950s.

MENAGESHA FOREST &

ADDIS ALEM MARIAM
Menagesha Forest isCHURCH
a jewel to have near the city where
mammal species such as the duiker, colobus monkey and
endemic Menelik bushbuck can be seen.
Bird life is abundant in this densely wooded area where
Rougets' rail, blue-winged goose and black-headed siskin are
among Ethiopian endemics to be noted while taking a leisurely
walk.
This is followed by a drive to visit the Addis Alem Mariam
Church, originally built as Menelik's palace and known for it's
murals.
The church owns many important relics and artifacts
bequeathed to it by the Emperor which are on display in the
Church museum.

WONCHI CRATER LAKE

Driving to Ambo and then to the village
of Wonchi where you will enjoy a trek
down to the shore of the Crater Lake.
By boat, reach an interesting church
(monastery of Wonchi Chirkos) found
on the island.

DEBRE BERHAN &

ANKOBER
130 kms northeast of Addis lies one of the
oldest towns in the country, Debre Berhan.
After visiting Debre Berhan Selassie Church
where many interesting historical relics are
kept, drive to the nearby town Ankober,
birthplace of Emperor Menelik II.
Ankober is situated on the edge of the
escarpment and offers an extraordinary
view of the region.

MOUNT ZUQUALLA
MONASTERY & CRATER
LAKES
OF
DEBRE
ZEIT
Drive
south from Addis to Mount Zuqualla to
visit the Zuqualla Monastery. Situated at the
top of the mountain, the Crater Lake is
surrounded
by
beautiful
woods
and
considered to be holy.
Take in the birds, plant life and scenery as
you make a drive around the Debre Zeit
Crater Lake region.

Many
Thanks