Ethiopia is the landlocked country home to the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela.
Lalibela, in northern Ethiopia, is famous for 11 medieval churches carved directly downward into volcanic rock. The churches were built mainly during the reign of King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela in the late 12th and early 13th centuries.
The site is an important pilgrimage destination for Ethiopian Orthodox Christians. Its most recognizable monument is Biete Ghiorgis, or the Church of Saint George, which is carved in the shape of a cross.
Lalibela is sometimes incorrectly described as a single underground church. It is actually a group of connected monolithic churches, courtyards, tunnels, and trenches. Ethiopia has no coastline, having lost its Red Sea access when Eritrea became independent in 1993.