• Home
  • Tours
    • Ethiopia Itineraries >
      • Itinerary Categories
      • Itinerary Listing
      • Request Tour Info / Pricing
    • Addis Ababa Tours
    • Discover Tours >
      • Discover Tour Summary
      • Ethiopia Holiday 13 Nts. A
      • Ethiopia Holiday 13 Nts. B
      • Best of Ethiopia 15 Nts.
      • Ethiopia Explorer 19 Nts.
      • Ethiopia in Depth 20 Nts.
      • Ethiopia by Road 24 Nts.
      • Ethiopia Adventure 26 Nts.
    • Ethiopia's Historic Route >
      • Hist. Route Summary
      • Historic Route 4 Nts. A
      • Historic Route 6 Nts.
      • Historic Route 9 Nts.
      • Historic Route 11 Nts.
      • Historic Route 13 Nts. A
      • Historic Route 13 Nts. B
      • History / Trek 14 Nts.
      • Historic Route 15 Nts.
    • Lalibela 2 Nights
    • National Park Treks >
      • Trek Summary
      • Bale Mtns. 4 Nights
      • Bale Mtns. 5 Nights
      • Simien Mtns. 5 Nights
      • Simien Mtns. 8 Nights
    • Omo Valley Tours >
      • Omo Summary
      • Omo 7 Nights
      • Omo and Bale 9 Nts.
      • Omo / Trek 12 Nts.
    • Danakil Tours >
      • Danakil Summary
      • Danakil / Hist. 14 Nts.
    • Harar / Awash Park Tours >
      • Harar / Awash Summary
      • Harar 2 Nights
      • Harar / Awash 4 Nts.
    • Birding Tour
    • Addis to Asmara: A Tour for Runners >
      • Run Ethiopia and Eritrea 12 days 12 nights
      • Run Ethiopia and Eritrea 9 days 9 nights
  • Highlights
    • Ethiopia Highlights
    • Lalibela >
      • About Lalibela
      • Lalibela Photos
    • Gondar
    • Axum >
      • About Axum
      • Axum Photos
    • Harar
    • Omo Valley >
      • Konso Village
      • Omo Valley Photos
    • National Parks
    • Danakil Depression
    • Festivals
  • Visitor Information
    • General Information
    • Visa Information
    • Money and Foreign Exchange
    • Health and Safety
    • Ethiopian Food
    • Map of Ethiopia
  • About/Contact
Awaze Tours of Ethiopia
  • Home
  • Tours
    • Ethiopia Itineraries >
      • Itinerary Categories
      • Itinerary Listing
      • Request Tour Info / Pricing
    • Addis Ababa Tours
    • Discover Tours >
      • Discover Tour Summary
      • Ethiopia Holiday 13 Nts. A
      • Ethiopia Holiday 13 Nts. B
      • Best of Ethiopia 15 Nts.
      • Ethiopia Explorer 19 Nts.
      • Ethiopia in Depth 20 Nts.
      • Ethiopia by Road 24 Nts.
      • Ethiopia Adventure 26 Nts.
    • Ethiopia's Historic Route >
      • Hist. Route Summary
      • Historic Route 4 Nts. A
      • Historic Route 6 Nts.
      • Historic Route 9 Nts.
      • Historic Route 11 Nts.
      • Historic Route 13 Nts. A
      • Historic Route 13 Nts. B
      • History / Trek 14 Nts.
      • Historic Route 15 Nts.
    • Lalibela 2 Nights
    • National Park Treks >
      • Trek Summary
      • Bale Mtns. 4 Nights
      • Bale Mtns. 5 Nights
      • Simien Mtns. 5 Nights
      • Simien Mtns. 8 Nights
    • Omo Valley Tours >
      • Omo Summary
      • Omo 7 Nights
      • Omo and Bale 9 Nts.
      • Omo / Trek 12 Nts.
    • Danakil Tours >
      • Danakil Summary
      • Danakil / Hist. 14 Nts.
    • Harar / Awash Park Tours >
      • Harar / Awash Summary
      • Harar 2 Nights
      • Harar / Awash 4 Nts.
    • Birding Tour
    • Addis to Asmara: A Tour for Runners >
      • Run Ethiopia and Eritrea 12 days 12 nights
      • Run Ethiopia and Eritrea 9 days 9 nights
  • Highlights
    • Ethiopia Highlights
    • Lalibela >
      • About Lalibela
      • Lalibela Photos
    • Gondar
    • Axum >
      • About Axum
      • Axum Photos
    • Harar
    • Omo Valley >
      • Konso Village
      • Omo Valley Photos
    • National Parks
    • Danakil Depression
    • Festivals
  • Visitor Information
    • General Information
    • Visa Information
    • Money and Foreign Exchange
    • Health and Safety
    • Ethiopian Food
    • Map of Ethiopia
  • About/Contact
Picture

Axum, Heart of an Ancient Empire

Once the hub of a great civilization that spread from East Africa, across the Red Sea, and into the Arabian Peninsula, Axum is home to some of the most significant archeological findings on the entire continent.  Ethiopian and foreign scholars working in the region believe they've only hit the tip of the iceberg of artifacts and ruins waiting to be discovered.
The most obvious of Axum's ancient wonders are the huge stelae erected over 1,700 years ago.  These massive pieces of solid stone were hauled four kilometers from a quarry, carved into obelisks, and then raised upright.  How the Axumites were able to achieve such technological marvels remains a mystery.  The tallest stele is 23 meters (75 feet) high, while one which lays shattered is 33 meters in length and weighs a staggering 500 tons.  
Axum is on the Historic Route

King Ezana's stone.

King Ezana's Stone

In the 4th century, the Axum King, Ezana, officially accepted Christianity making it the second country to recognize Christianity as an official religion. (Ezana learned of Christianity from his childhood tutor, a Syrian Christian named Frumentius.)  
​In the 1980's a trio of  farmers discovered an inscribed stone in their fields.   Nearly 1,700 years old, the text boasts of Ezana's victories in three languages: Geez, Sabaean, and Greek.  As  the inscription gives thanks to a pagan god it predates Ezana's conversion.
Chapel of the Tabot
Chapel of the Tabot in Axum
The Ethiopian Orthodox Church is the guardian of the Ark of the Covenant which is held in an Axum church.   According to church history, the Ark was brought to Ethiopia from Jerusalem by Menelik, the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

The Saturday market in Axum is a great place to wander and explore.  All types of goods, animals, and foodstuffs are on display for sale.  We also recommend the small and colorful "basket market" also held every Saturday under a large tree near the north stelae field.
Axum's Saturday basket market.
Axum's Saturday basket market.
Axum northern stele field
Axum northern stele field.
Axum market
Awaze driver, Berhanu, negotiates for honey at the Axum market.
Picture
Telephone
+251 991168292
Email
info@awazetours.com
Address
Haile Gebrselassie Street, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
© 2021 Awaze Tours
  • Home
  • Tours
    • Ethiopia Itineraries >
      • Itinerary Categories
      • Itinerary Listing
      • Request Tour Info / Pricing
    • Addis Ababa Tours
    • Discover Tours >
      • Discover Tour Summary
      • Ethiopia Holiday 13 Nts. A
      • Ethiopia Holiday 13 Nts. B
      • Best of Ethiopia 15 Nts.
      • Ethiopia Explorer 19 Nts.
      • Ethiopia in Depth 20 Nts.
      • Ethiopia by Road 24 Nts.
      • Ethiopia Adventure 26 Nts.
    • Ethiopia's Historic Route >
      • Hist. Route Summary
      • Historic Route 4 Nts. A
      • Historic Route 6 Nts.
      • Historic Route 9 Nts.
      • Historic Route 11 Nts.
      • Historic Route 13 Nts. A
      • Historic Route 13 Nts. B
      • History / Trek 14 Nts.
      • Historic Route 15 Nts.
    • Lalibela 2 Nights
    • National Park Treks >
      • Trek Summary
      • Bale Mtns. 4 Nights
      • Bale Mtns. 5 Nights
      • Simien Mtns. 5 Nights
      • Simien Mtns. 8 Nights
    • Omo Valley Tours >
      • Omo Summary
      • Omo 7 Nights
      • Omo and Bale 9 Nts.
      • Omo / Trek 12 Nts.
    • Danakil Tours >
      • Danakil Summary
      • Danakil / Hist. 14 Nts.
    • Harar / Awash Park Tours >
      • Harar / Awash Summary
      • Harar 2 Nights
      • Harar / Awash 4 Nts.
    • Birding Tour
    • Addis to Asmara: A Tour for Runners >
      • Run Ethiopia and Eritrea 12 days 12 nights
      • Run Ethiopia and Eritrea 9 days 9 nights
  • Highlights
    • Ethiopia Highlights
    • Lalibela >
      • About Lalibela
      • Lalibela Photos
    • Gondar
    • Axum >
      • About Axum
      • Axum Photos
    • Harar
    • Omo Valley >
      • Konso Village
      • Omo Valley Photos
    • National Parks
    • Danakil Depression
    • Festivals
  • Visitor Information
    • General Information
    • Visa Information
    • Money and Foreign Exchange
    • Health and Safety
    • Ethiopian Food
    • Map of Ethiopia
  • About/Contact