A former capital of Ethiopia, Gondar is nicknamed the Camelot of Africa in reference to its wealth of fairytale castles and churches dating from its 17th century heyday. Protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these architectural gems ensure the city is an important attraction in its own right. For many visitors, however, Gondar is of greater interest as the air gateway to Simien Mountains National Park, a popular hiking destination 60 miles to the north.
Discover Gondar
The central Fasil Ghebbi is a stone-wall Royal Compound containing six castles and three churches. The handsome three-storey castle credited to Emperor Fasil, who founded the city in 1635, is the undisputed gem among these, and its blend of indigenous Axumite and imported Portuguese and Indian influences would come to define the Gondarine architectural style.
Also associated with the namesake king, Fasil’s Pool, a sunken quadrangle overlooked by a two-story stone building, is where Gondar’s colorful Timkat celebrations are held every January.
The most beautiful of Gondar’s churches, Debre Birhan Selassie (‘Mountain of the Enlightened Trinity’) is adorned with cartoon-like strips comprising hundreds of 17th-century ecclesiastic paintings, all set below a ceiling decorated with neat rows of cherubic faces.
For those who don’t have time to explore the Simien Mountains, guided day hikes at Wunenia, a short drive north of Gondar, offer an opportunity to see endemic wildlife in spectacular montane scenery.
