Stelae park in Aksum, EthiopiaStelae park in Aksum, Ethiopia
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stelenpark_in_Axum_2010.JPG
Author: JensiS65
photo licensing

Aksum, also written Axum, is an ancient city on the northern part of Ethiopia. It was the location of the ancient Kingdom of Aksum, which flourished between the 1st to the 13th century AD, and was the most powerful state between the Eastern Roman Empire and Persia.

Aksum is one of the holiest and most important pilgrimage sites in Ethiopia. This is because of the Ethipian Orthodox Church belives that the Biblical Ark of the Covenant is housed in the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion there. The church is where successive Ethiopian emperors were crowned. The Ethiopian Orthodox Christians celebrate the T'imk'et Festival - that parallels Ephiphany in western Christianity, commemorating the visit of the Magis to the Baby Jesus - on 7 January, and the Festival of Maryam Zion in late November.

Bath of Queen Sheba, AxumBath of Queen Sheba, Axum
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Bath_of_the_Queen_of_Sheba,_Axum,_Ethiopia_(2833424900).jpg
Author: A. Davey
photo licensing

Today much of the ruins of Aksum are still visible, including monolithic obelisks, stone tablets, royal tombs and castles. Even after the decline of Aksum towards the 10th century, Ethiopian emperors continued to be crowned in Aksum.

Aksum was inscribed as a World Heritage Site during the 4th session of the World Heritage Committee, which convened in Paris, France, on 1-5 September, 1980.

New Church of St Mary of Zion, AxumNew Church of St Mary of Zion, Axum
Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:New_Church_of_St._Mary_of_Zion,_Axum,_Ethiopia_(2846160704).jpg
Author: A. Davey
photo licensing

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location: N 14 7 48.684 E 38 43 6.996
Inscription Year: 1980
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: I, IV

Visiting Aksum

The most practical way to reach Aksum is by flight. There are daily flights from Addis Ababa to Aksum airport. From the airport there are taxis to town. You have to prepare for hard bargaining.

 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.