The history of Gondar is fascinating. Ethiopia has had many changes of
capital over the centuries according to the whims of whatever emperor
was in power at the time (Addis Ababa only became the capital in the
19th century when Emperor Menelik's consort decided she liked the beauty
of the place and wanted her house to be built there), and so in 1636
Emperor Fasiladas moved the capital to Gondar as it was geographically
convenient for fertile land and caravan routes transporting slaves and
gold.
From 1636 until the fall of Gondar around 1784, huge castles were built
that resemble anything you would find in Europe at the time. Gondar's palaces held huge
banquets for various passing dignitaries, and it's pageantry and
ceremonies became legendary in the region and among Arab traders. The
amount of wealth and power concentrated here was immense.
It was like having King Henry VIII's court smack dab in the middle of Africa. And what got me the most was that I'd never heard of the place until I started researching this trip!
This
is what I like most about Ethiopia. A fascinating kingdom and history
that remains undiscovered by so many westerners. So much for the
"famine-ridden tribal country" view that is still lodged in so many
people's minds!
Many of the castles lay in ruins as a result of the
British bombing of the dug-in Italians who were using it as a hideout
toward the end of the second World War.
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| Fasiladas' "vacation" home |
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| It's a pool! Would be filled with water for Fasiladas to swim. Now they only fill it once a year for a festival after the Orthodox Christmas. |
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| Loved the trees |
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| Fasiladas' castle |
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| Posing...in the grass...trying to watch out for possible snakes! |
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| 3 of the castles |
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| Horse stables on the compound |
