Discover with Timothy
21st Anniversary as Content Creator

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Addis_Abeba06_(Sam_Effron).jpg
Author: Sam Effron
photo licensing

Addis Ababa is the capital and biggest city in Ethiopia. Also written Addis Abeba by the official Ethiopian Mapping Authority, the name means "new flower" in the Amharic language. It is located at the heart of the country, at an elevation of 2,355 m (7,726 ft) above sea level. Addis Ababa covers 530.14 sq km (204.69 sq mi) and has a population of 3.4 million people (2012 estimate), within a metropolitan area of 4.6 million people.

Addis Ababa was founded in 1886 by Emperor Menelik II, on the site chosen by his consort, Empress Taytu Betul. It was originally named hora Finfinnee, or hot springs, after the mineral springs located in the Oromo neighborhood of the city. The name was later changed to Addis Ababa and made the capital when Menelik II became the Emperor of Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian Empire had several skirmishes with the colonizing Italians. In 1896, the Italians suffered a humiliating defeat in the Battle of Adwa. However in 1936 they invaded Addis Ababa in the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, and made the city the capital of Italian East Africa (Africa Orientale Italiana). The defeat of the Italians to British forces enabled Emperor Haile Selassie to return to Addis Ababa in 1941 to reestablish the Ethiopian capital.

Today Addis Ababa is a bustling city. Its economy is supported by trade, commerce, manufacturing and other industries. There are quite a number of landmarks and tourist attractions in the city.

Mercato, the market in Addis Ababa
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MercatoAddisAbeba08.jpg
Author: JanManu
photo licensing

Visiting Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is served by the Bole International Airport (ADD), the busiest airport in East Africa.

Places of Interest in Addis Ababa

  1. Addis Ababa Museum

  2. Africa Hall

  3. Burial Place of Emperor Haile Selassie

  4. Ethiopian Ethnological Museum

  5. Ethiopian National Library

  6. Ethiopian National Museum

  7. Ethiopian Natural History Museum

  8. Ethiopian Railway Museum

  9. Grand Anwar Mosque

  10. Hager Fikir Theatre

  11. Holy Trinity Cathedral

  12. Imperial Palace of Addis Ababa

  13. Medhane Alem Orthodox Cathedral

  14. Mercato (Addis Ababa Market)

  15. Meskel Square

  16. National Palace

  17. National Postal Museum

  18. Raguel Church

  19. Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family

  20. Shengo Hall

  21. Sylvia Pankhurst's Tomb

  22. St George's Cathedral

 Latest updates on Penang Travel Tips

 Discover with Timothy YouTube Channel

 Discover with Timothy Food Channel

 Learn Penang Hokkien YouTube Channel

SojiMart Videos

Latest from Discover with Timothy: Gurney Bay - what to see and do there

About this website



Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.

Copyright © 2003-2024 Timothy Tye. All Rights Reserved.