Axum is located in the northern part of Ethiopia. It has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. Addis Ababa to Axum trip will be an exciting one if one visits its numerous tourist attractions like the monuments of King Ezana's Stele, Great Stele and Gudit Stelae. The sculptures of Axum are considered to be more than two thousand years old. The other tourist attractions of Axum are:
- St Mary of Zion church
- Queen of Sheba's Bath
- King Bazen's Tomb
- Dungur palaces
- Ta'akha Maryam
- The Lioness of Gobedra rock art
- The monasteries of Abba Liqanos and Abba Pentalewon
- Archaeological and ethnographic museums
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- the Ezana Stone
- Grave of King Gabre
- Grave of King Kaleb
Axum is considered to be the holiest city of Ethiopia. As such, the city is visited by a large number of pilgrims every year. St Mary of Zion church is believed to house the Ark of the Covenant. Ark of the Covenant contains the tables on which Moses wrote the Ten Commandments. A few monks guard this chapel. The tourists can also visit Axum during the festival times such as the 'T'imk'et Festival' in the month of January and the 'Festival of Maryam Zion' in November.
One can get good accommodation at the Axum and Yeha Hotels. There are also a number of restaurants for the tourists. An excursion from Addis Ababa to Axum covers a distance of 1,100 kilometers. One will reach Axum from Addis Ababa via Bahar Dar and Gondar.
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