Besides the Abuna Yemata Guh church that I previosly posted about, we visited a dozen more monolistic and semi-monolistic (rock hewn) churched in Lalibela. Some of these were cut into the sides of rock faces, but most were dug straight down into rock. These dated from the fifth to twelfth centuries AD.
i can just imagine the Ethiopian king back in those days.
King – “Bring my the royal architect and engineer.”
Architect – “Yes your highness. What can we do for you?”
King – “I would like you to design and build a beautiful church. Make it thirty meters wide by thirty meters long and twenty-five meters tall.”
The architect and engineer consult with each other.
Engineer – “You got it. We are surrounded by forests and have an excellent supply of lumber. We can finish it in six months.”
King – “I will dedicate this church to St. Michael. I don’t want it made out of wood. Dig down through this rock. Dig out a section of rock forty meters wide by forty meters long. Leave a section of rock thirty meters wide by thirty meters long in the center and then carve that into a church. That way you will be able to completely walk around the outside of the church.”
Architect – “Oh hell no!” We ain’t doin’ that. It will take a hundred years.”
Engineer – “Do you even realized we only have hammers and chisels?”
King – “Well, you best get started by tomorrow then!”
After a hundred years, the rock hewn church is completed. Of course, there is a new king by this time.
King – “Bring my royal architect and engineer.”
Architect – “Yes your highness. What can we do for you?”
King – My great grandfather built a church dedicated to St. Michael.”
Engineer – “Yes, we know that. Our great grandfathers, grandfathers and fathers all worked on that. It took a century. They all hated it.”
King – “I have a project for you.”
Architect – “Yes. What is it?”
King – I want to build a church and dedicate it to St. George.”
Engineer – “We’ve still got all these forests around us. And our woodworking skills have advanced admirably.”
King – “No! I want to carve it out of solid rock!”
Architect – “Say what? Do you realize it will take a hundred years and you’ll never live to see the completion?’
King – “Surely you have advanced the art of stone carving.”
Engineer – “Nope. We’re still using hammers and chisels.”
And this same story gets repeated over and over for another six hundred years.
(photo is of myself laying in a hermit hole. Pilgrims use these to sleep in when they stay by the church)