Ethiopia contains the ancient rock-hewn churches of Lalibela, a group of monumental sanctuaries carved from living rock. The complex lies in northern Ethiopia and is traditionally associated with King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela of the Zagwe dynasty, who is said to have commissioned it in the late 12th or early 13th century.
The churches were excavated downward into volcanic tuff rather than assembled from ordinary masonry. Trenches, tunnels, courtyards, pillars, and drainage channels form part of the design. Biete Ghiorgis, or the Church of Saint George, is especially famous for its cross-shaped plan and freestanding appearance.
Lalibela became an important Ethiopian Orthodox Christian pilgrimage centre. Tradition connects its name with a plan to create a “New Jerusalem,” but the site also reflects local Ethiopian architecture and religious history. It is sometimes confused with Petra, whose monuments were carved in Jordan, not Ethiopia.