Visiting Aksum: obelisks and ancient history

Aksum was the capital of a trading empire that, at its height, ranked among the great powers of the ancient world — minting its own coins and reaching across the Red Sea. What remains today is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the spiritual centre of Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.

The stelae

The Northern Stelae Field is dominated by towering carved granite obelisks that once marked royal tombs. The tallest still standing rises around 24 metres; the greatest of all, now fallen, would have been taller still. One obelisk, looted during the Italian occupation, was returned from Rome in 2005 and re-erected here.

Churches and legend

• The Church of St Mary of Zion is, by Ethiopian Orthodox tradition, the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant — kept in a guarded chapel and never shown to the public.
• Nearby ruins are known locally as the Queen of Sheba’s Palace, tying the town to one of the region’s most enduring legends.

More to see

• The Ezana Stone — a stele inscribed in three scripts, recording the deeds of a 4th-century king around the time Aksum adopted Christianity.
• The tombs of Kings Kaleb and Gebre Meskel, cut into the hillside above the town.
• Dungur, the extensive ruins traditionally called the Queen of Sheba’s Palace, and the reservoir known as the Queen of Sheba’s Bath.

Getting there & when to go

Flights connect Aksum with Addis Ababa and the northern circuit. The town sits in the Tigray region in the far north, so it is worth checking current travel advice when you plan, as access to the region can change. The dry months from October to March are the most comfortable for exploring the open sites.

A day is enough to see the main sites, though the history rewards a guide. Find places to stay in Aksum near the stelae fields.