Which UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ethiopia contains 11 medieval churches carved directly from rock?

Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela is the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ethiopia that contains 11 medieval churches carved directly from rock.

The churches were created in and around Lalibela, traditionally during the reign of King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela in the late 12th or early 13th century. Rather than being assembled from blocks, the structures were excavated downward into volcanic rock.

The complex is divided into groups connected by passages, trenches, and tunnels. Biete Medhani Alem is often identified as the largest church, while Biete Giyorgis, or Saint George, is famous for its cross-shaped plan and isolated monolithic form.

Lalibela remains an important Ethiopian Orthodox Christian pilgrimage center. Its traditional association with Jerusalem explains many symbolic names and layouts, but the churches are an original Ethiopian architectural achievement. UNESCO inscribed the site in 1978.