Gondar: Africa's Camelot
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At the foot of the Simien Mountains, Ethiopia holds in its bowels a legacy as valuable as unknown. Who would expect to be confronted by the silhouette of several medieval castles cut in the heart of Africa?
If travel is away from the stereotypes and give back to the prejudices, contact one of the world's poorest countries to approach a piece of his amazing story forces overcome the images with which the West has labeled former Abyssinia: a land ravaged by famine and drought filled bellies children. The reward is worth it and Gondar is, course, a must. This town in northern Ethiopia whose name evokes traveler in the dark world of Tolkien welcomed, four centuries ago, the splendor of an imperial city carved in the image of the old European medieval cities, what has made him known as the "Camelot of Africa". Today, six castles and a handful of smaller buildings still stand to remind visitors Gondar was, for two centuries, the capital of the Christian kingdom's oldest black continent (embraced that creed in the fourth century, a few years after he did the Roman Emperor Constantine).
"Open" to women
In a country where most of the roads are still doing well to deserve that name (thanks largely to the tenacious Chinese investment), get to Gondar by land is an exercise in patience. The 740 kilometers that separate it from the current Ethiopian capital, Addis Abeba, should not be misleading. To cover that distance it takes at least two days and a stop in Bahar Dar, the shores of Lake Tana, where born the sources of the Blue Nile. Overcoming 50 kilometers per hour on average is quite a feat.
To cover that distance it takes at least two days and a stop in Bahar Dar, the shores of Lake Tana, where born the sources of the Blue Nile. Overcoming 50 kilometers per hour on average is quite a feat
The compound is walled and to enter you must pay 50 Birr, local currency, per person (less than four euros). The guide is not mandatory, but should hire their services because along the way there is no information sign. The traveler closes the deal in other 150 Birr (twelve euros). A large banner crowns the eastern gate access. "Tourism opens doors for women", reads in English and Amharic, official language. But the slogan is very far from completion, because in many churches of Ethiopia still forbidden access.
The Portuguese aid
The castillo de Fasilides it focuses on the whole. Its height, more than 30 meters, its four turrets and crenellated tower offer a picture of another time and place, rubbing the eyes makes the visitor. The building is named after the king who had it erected, Fasilidas, the monarch who broke with his father Catholicism, Susinios, had embraced and expelled the Jesuits from the country to the delight of the local Orthodox clergy. To realize his dream "Renaissance", Fasilidas benefited from the knowledge of the Portuguese (whose presence in the country dating back a century ago, when Christopher de Gama, son of Vasco da Gama, came to the aid of the kingdom to quell a Muslim revolt). His successors would be responsible for adding to magnify his work original castle five, plus bathrooms, sauna, archive, music room and even a small zoo of caged lions, all connected by underground passageways intricate.
The main castle survived the Sudanese Mahdist revolt in the nineteenth century, to earthquakes and plundering, and even British bombing during the Second World War, as Italians, historically committed to making its African colony Abyssinia, used it as headquarters during the war. Even today remains the toilet used by the Italian soldiers, very close loopholes, allowing them to remain vigilant even in the bathroom. From the roof of the fortress, on clear days you can guess at Lake Tana distance across the lush forests that surround Gondar.
The pool of Emperor
Walking through the empty rooms of Palace of Iyasu, another of the castles of this unusual exhibition, is it by the embers of a faded grandeur. Its walls and carpets do not look old and instead of gold and ivory ornaments just bare stone. But it is hard to imagine the impression which must have caused the vision of a strength of these been done on some subjects used to live in humble huts.
Just a few minutes drive of the Imperial Citadel, along the road that leads to Bahar Dar, are still the Emperor bathrooms Fasilidas, a large pool of nearly 3.000 square meters which now, as then, is held every January Timkat party (Epiphany). Filled the pool with water from a nearby river (a task that, to the locals, lasts two days), parishioners to purify mass throw in a holiday full of songs and colorful. After the ceremony, water is returned to the river in just reciprocity. When the traveler came to the place, the two-story building that stands next to the toilets was taken by scaffolding of branches and trunks and did not allow the passage, but you can usually visit the same ticket purchased in the royal enclosure.
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From viajero Will your Roman. From the Italian capital there are frequent flights to Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Airlines. To reach Gondar you can opt for an hour by plane (There are daily flights from Addis) on the day of the car by road (740 km) making a stop in Debre Markos sleeping or, best, en Bahar Dar, the shores of Lake Tana.
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The hotel Lammergeyer is a comfortable haven where the rooms are clean and the shower water is hot. Its outdoor terrace makes customers forget any travel penalties. Tomarse a cerveza St. George the mid litro (as usual in Ethiopia) while nearly evening is a priceless pleasure whenever the rain meddle.
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If travelers do not want to dive into the local cuisine with a inyera, a mass of Teff flour (cereal native to taste a little bitter) that accompanies any dish Ethiopian, approach the Golden Gate Restaurant. It is easily recognizable: is a viewpoint suspended between two buildings close to the Piazza, the focal point around which revolves the everyday city life.
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-The Monastery Debre Birhan Selassie, just steps from the center of Gondar, blanket on your roof a fresh formidable seventeenth century eighty-faced angels aligned, a suggestive image, certainly, is one of the letters of Ethiopia in the World. As in all the temples, must remove their shoes before entering.
-Three books: “Dios, the devil and adventure ", Javier Reverte, “Etiopía: men, places and myths ", Juan González Núñez, and “Etiopía: a face with three eyes ", Gozalbez and Dulce Javier Cebrian.
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Comments (2)
Rimbaud
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I was in 2005 touring the country. I loved the people and landscapes. Long live the country that boasts of not having been conquered!!!
congratulations on the report
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ricardo
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Thank you very much. And boy presumed. Colonized is true that there were, although Mussolini occupied the country for five years, to 1941, and even took ancient Axum obelisk (publish a report on this topic in a few months VaP.: https://www.viajesalpasado.com/axum-el-obelisco-milenario-robado-por-mussolini/). The country is, course, highly recommended.
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