It took a couple of tries before I found the right road, walking 1.5km from the centre of Gondar.
It looks as much a fortress as a church.
High, thick walls.
12 guard towers. (Each representing one of the twelve apostles.)
It’s small but solid.
Churches like this were once quite common in this area, but this is the only one of that era to survive Sudanese destruction.
I listened in as a tour guide explained the paintings and detail inside. Simple, but striking.
The walls depict biblical scenes and saints and the ceiling is covered with the faces of hundreds of angels. Icons of the Holy Trinity (three identical men with halos) and the Crucifixion have pride of place above the entrance to the Holy of Holies.
I walked the outside of the perimeter wall finding homeless people asleep. And a graveyard in disrepair.
Further from town is a big dam. I made one attempt to start walking in that direction, but a neighbourhood gentleman advised me to turn around. Walk back to town.
I’m not sure what the problem might be. But I heeded his advice. And turned back.
Rick McCharles 