Architecture Spotlight: Ethiopia (Lion of Judah Monument, Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela, David Rifkind)
Ethiopian architecture has been influenced by a myriad of cultures and a very colorful history. From its roots in the Aksumite Empire; to the arrival of Arab, Indian, Turkish and Portuguese settlements; to the impact of Italian colonial urbanism, Ethiopia has been affected by a diverse array of architectural perspectives that have outwardly expressed themselves in some of the most remarkable structures in the world today. Many of these structures have stood up against the test of time, and for this post we will spotlight two of these beauties: the fascinating Rock Hewn Churches of Lalibela and the Lion of Judah Monument in Addis. We’ll also give an honorary salute to Professor Rifkind from Florida University who has devoted so many years of his life to studying Ethiopia’s architectural heritage. Let’s get to it.
Lion of Judah Monument
To begin, there are actually TWO Lion of Judah monuments in Addis (yes it can be a bit confusing). The first one (above image) sits at the old railway station in Addis Abbaba. The second one which will not be featured in this article was designed by the French sculptor, Maurice Calka in 1954.
While I appreciate Mr. Calka’s work, I thought the Lion of Judah Statue at the railway station had a much more interesting history, so I decided to feature it in this article (all references from henceforth will be for the railway station monument). This particular monument is widely accepted by most Ethiopians as the official Lion of Judah statue and the pride of Ethiopia’s Emperor Hailie Selasie. A little history: Ethiopia under Haile Selasi commissioned the French to build a railway that linked land locked Ethiopia to the ocean port in Djibouti (then called French Somaliland). The project was completed in 1917, and the Lion of Judah Monument was built by the French railway company to commemorate the milestone.
Fun Fact: The company that built the railway and the monument was called the Franco-Ethiopian Railway Company. The railway was originally capitalized by the French, but in 1959 French President Charles de Gaulle ceded 50% of the railway’s capital to the Ethiopian state. Lack of funding, civil unrest and other issues would cause this line to be neglected, but recently (2015), the leaders of Djibouti and Ethiopia have agreed to finish construction/renovations on the line, in a move sponsored by the Chinese government. You can read about this recent investment/partnership project here.
Okay, back to our lovely statue. When Italy successfully invaded Ethiopia on its second attempt (1935/1936), the statue was removed and taken back to Italy where it was placed on display next to the Vittorio Emanuele Monument in Rome. It would remain in Italy for 30 years. Zerai Deres is a legendary character from Ethiopian/Italian history that staked his claim to fame during this period, I recommend you look him up, he has a very interesting story. Italy and Ethiopia would eventually become friends again, and when the statue was returned in 1964 it was re-erected in front of the Ethio-Djibouti railway station on the same month that it was inaugurated.
Told you it had an interesting history, right? I hope the statue itself gets a makeover when the new railway line is finished. On the lower part of the statue are carved the faces of Emperor Menelik II, Queen Zewditu, Ras Mekonen and Haile Selassie. The lion itself has a raised leg and is carrying the Ethiopian flag.
Rock Hewn Churches of Lalibela
The holy city of Lalibela in the mountainous highlands of Ethiopia hosts some of the most fascinating medieval architecture in the world today. Hewn into the rock in this region are intricately designed pieces of monolithic rock-cut religious architecture, sacred ground and a pilgrimage site for Ethiopia’s Orthodox Christians. Legend has it that King Lalibela who ruled Ethiopia in the early 13th century is said to have made a trip to Jerusalem as a child and fallen in love with the city, so much so that when Jerusalem was captured by Saladin in 1187, Lalibela attempted to build a new Jerusalem in Ethiopia, using the town of Roha as his excavation site (Roha would later be renamed after King Lalibela).
There are 11 rock-cut churches at Lalibela, excavated and hollowed out from vast stretches of volcanic rock. In 1978 the site became a UNESCO World Heritage site, and investments have been made over the years to protect the structures and slow down corrosion. Check out the below video that gives a detailed view of these impressive architectural wonders.
David Rifkind
David Rifkind is a professor that teaches architectural theory and history at Florida International University. His research examines architectural responses to processes of modernization, with special emphasis on the relationships between modern architecture and political forces during Italy’s twenty-year period of fascist rule. His first book, The Battle for Modernism: Quadrante and the Politicization of Architectural Discourse in Fascist Italy, won the 2011 Premio James Ackerman from the CISA Andrea Palladio. His subsequent research on Italian colonial urban planning and architecture in East Africa is the first such work to integrate extensive field study in Ethiopia with archival research in Europe and the United States.
I admire anyone who goes out of their way (and comfort zones) to understand other cultures and documents their findings and analysis into relevant written text that others can use. Professor Rifkind has done a lot of good work regarding capturing the essence of Ethiopian architecture, and for that he has my salute. If you’re an architecture enthusiast like I am, I recommend you get his book at the link above, and also check out his lecture below on architecture in Ethiopia. He goes into quite a bit of history as well. Enjoy.
Hope you enjoyed this article! Be sure to check out my website to learn about my other projects!
