Axum: Obelisks and the Ark of the Covenant
Discover the ancient Aksumite empire, massive stone monoliths, and Ethiopia’s greatest religious mystery.
Mule Ethiopia Tour — Local Team
Addis Ababa · Licensed Ethiopian Tourism Guides
Mule Ethiopia Tour — Local Team
Addis Ababa · Licensed Ethiopian Tourism Guides
The Ancient Empire
Long before Gondar or Lalibela, the Aksumite Empire ruled the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea trade routes. At its peak between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, Axum was considered one of the four great powers of the ancient world, alongside Rome, Persia, and China.
The Northern Stelae Park
The most visible legacy of this empire are the massive stelae (obelisks) erected to mark the underground tombs of kings. The Great Stele, which collapsed during construction, would have stood 33 meters tall and weighed over 500 tons. The King Ezana Stele, still standing at 24 meters, is a marvel of ancient engineering, carved to look like a multi-story building.
The Ark of the Covenant
Axum is the spiritual heart of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church because it claims to house the biblical Ark of the Covenant. According to tradition, Menelik I, the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, brought the Ark from Jerusalem to Ethiopia. It is supposedly kept in the heavily guarded Chapel of the Tablet, where only one guardian monk may ever enter or see it.
Palaces and Tombs
Beyond the stelae and the church, Axum is dotted with archaeological sites. You can explore the ruined palace of the Queen of Sheba (Dungur), decipher trilingual inscriptions left by King Ezana, and descend into the dark, stone-carved tombs of Kings Kaleb and Gebre Meskel.
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