Gondar

Founded in 1636 by Emperor Fasilides, Gondar served as the grand imperial capital of Ethiopia for over two centuries. Known far and wide as the 'Camelot of Africa', the city's skyline is dominated by stone castle towers, battlements, and arched bridges that merge Portuguese, Moorish, Indian, and traditional Axumite architectural influences. At the heart of the city lies Fasil Ghebbi, a 70,000 square meter walled royal enclosure containing six major castles, banqueting halls, chancelleries, and royal stables built by successive emperors. Just outside the city center, Fasilides' Bath sits surrounded by ancient sycamore trees whose roots wrap around stone walls; once a year during Timkat, the sunken stone bath is flooded for thousands of believers to leap into the blessed water. Gondar is also famed for the Debre Berhan Selassie Church ('Light of the Trinity'). Its timber ceiling is hand-painted with rows of winged cherub faces looking down upon visitors, celebrated as one of Ethiopia's greatest masterpieces of religious art.