“Perhaps castles are not the first thing that comes to the traveller’s mind when thinking about Ethiopia, but this African country hides many surprises within its territory; and tales of emperors and princesses are among them. One of such wonders is the city of Gondar. This enclave, also spelled Gonder, was home to Emperor Fasiledes castle and the walled city of Fasil Ghebbi, now part of the UNESCO World Heritage List, says a piece written about the Castle of Gondar. As to the piece, many call Gondar ‘the Camelot of Africa’ but unlike Camelot, Gondar is a real city made out of royalty and blood and its history covers hundreds of years starting as early as the 12th century.
True, Gondar is among world’s top pilgrimage sites. Located at 747 kilometres from the capital Addis; and at 176 kilometres from the city of Bahir Dar, Gondar had served as the main centre of administration during the ancient times of the Empire of Gondar. Being the centre of the highest topography of the country in the Northern tip, it has a comfy climate with humid subtropical climate.
The city was founded by Emperor Fasiledes at around 1635. Since its establishment, the city continues to be a potential trade centre of Ethiopia. A total of 13 kings were enthroned during the Gonderian period. Emperor Fasil made Gondar his administration centre or capital and started building his castles considering the presence of different inputs. The main reasons to the establishment of the city, as documents indicate, were fulfilment of basic preconditions such as: the suitable natural resources available for the kings, preferable topography and climate for healthiness, fertile land for agriculture, sufficient water and wood, other construction inputs aside from its strategic location or routes for defence and having a better market channel for trade.
Gondar is well known in the world for its huge castles and an array of natural and man-made tourist attractions. The city served as a castle for more than 250 years, from 1636-1785 (from Emperor Fasil- Teklegiorgis). Being on strategic position, the city played a fundamental role to the triumph over different foreign invaders against Ethiopia.
Gondar and its people have shown a remarkable and colourful account of history along with Ethiopia’s independence from foreign invaders in the past. Being ensconced at the top of mountains circled by two year-long flowing rivers, its residents are well known for variety of cultural music and dances. Different cultural nightclubs are available inside the city, which presents cordial musical songs at night.
Azmaries (Traditional singers) welcome guests with entertaining poems and songs and invite them to revisit the city. The presence of extra number of cultural musicians adds greater colour and value to record unforgettable memory to one’s journey. Everywhere you go in the city, you could have the opportunity to entertain at the cultural night clubs. The poems and tune of each Azmari (cultural musicians) with their homebrewed cultural alcoholic drinks; like Tej, Tella and Areki, served to you in a manner keeping the traditional way of presentation, will make you more happier and feel dynamic in your trip.
It is common to observe many tourists yearlong in the city and its surroundings. The city provides ever better amenities to guests and tourists, who witness a hospitable city.
The delicious spicy cultural food, municipality embraced with glamorous ancient architectural buildings plus peaceful and sociable people as well as comfy climate and flat terrain topography make Gondar one of the top-preferred tourist destinations in the world.
In addition to this, its mysterious ancient monasteries, like Debrbrehan Silassie with well-mannered art works and other buildings, the resident’s diversified traditional and religious festivals observance and the magnificent Northern Mountains National Park, embraced with the Ethiopian endemic mammal occurrence in proximity to the city attracts anyone to be on the land of Gondar.
Tourists flow to the city is rising year after year. The golden name of Gondar, colourfully written with ancient forefathers and mothers and the historical six castles found inside Fasil compound has afforded an opportunity to the city to be registered in UNESCO world heritages list.
The six castles found inside Fasil Gibi are made by the then leaders of Gondar known as; Emperor Fasil, Empress Mintewab, Adbar Seged Dawit, Righteous Yohannes, Adiam Seged Eyasu and Emperor Bekaffa castles.
Among these castles, the Castle of Fasil which is still liveable was constructed 200 years back in the 17th century.
After the downfall of the locally called Zemene Mesafint administration system, the sagacious and courageous battler Ras Kassa Hailu, springing from Quara, controls the throne of Gondar to become Emperor Tewodros II. Emperor Tewodros II established a centralized administration system and started the realization of a unified Ethiopia.
In sum, with regard to introducing and practicing clustered means of administration in Ethiopia, Gondar contributed much more to the best of the present Ethiopia and the world. It has introduced a unique architecture. Different ancient buildings of the city witnessed that it has contributed more to the construction sector in our planet. Gondar was also the leading city of Ethiopia along with introducing taxation and land lease payment system. In addition to this, the active engagements and role of women in the leadership area was the manifestations of the ancient Gondar kingdom.
Various religious festivals are key for making Gondar tourists’ top visit list. Currently, several institutions and individual building works such as; University of Gondar, Emperor Tewodros Airport, hotels and lodges are portraying the ancient Gondarian construction and architectural arts style.
According to the 2017 projection made by Central Statistical Authority of Ethiopia, currently, more than 360,600 people are estimated to live in the city. And this projection makes Gondar city the third populous city next to Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa.
COMPILED BY TEWODROS KASSA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD FRIDAY 27 MAY 2022
