Gondar

Gondar

Gondar or Gonder, is a city and woreda in Ethiopia. It is situated in the North Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, north of Lake Tana on the Lesser Angereb River and south west of the Simien Mountains. Gondar was formerly the capital of the Ethiopian Empire and later Begemder Province. The city is home to the remains of numerous royal castles, among them the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Fasil Ghebbi, which is why Gondar is also known as the "Camelot of Africa". Traditionally, the city of Gondar was divided into several districts or neighborhoods: Addis Alem, home to the Muslim population; Kayla Mayda, home to the followers of Beth Israel; Abun Beth, centered around the residence of the Abuna, the nominal leader of the Ethiopian church; and Qagn Beth, the residence of the nobility. Known for its 44 churches, Gondar is also a remarkable center of ecclesiastical culture for the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. This was for a long time more than any other Ethiopian settlement. The majority of Ethiopia's Jews live in and around Gondar. The present-day city of Gondar is a favorite tourist site for its many scenic ruins in Fasil Ghebbi, where the emperors once ruled. The city's most famous buildings are located in the Royal Enclosure, including Fasilides' Castle, Iyasu's Palace, Dawit's Hall, a banquet hall, stables, Empress Mentewab's Castle, a chancellery, a library, and three churches. Close to the city are the Fasilides Bath, where an annual ceremony is held to bless it and then open it for bathing, the complex of Qusquam, which was built by Empress Mentewab, the Ras Mikael Sehul Palace from the eighteenth century and the Debre Berhan Selassie Church.