Yohannes Maequddi church. Also in the Gheralta mountains, this is the last of the great painted basilicas of Tigray. It is carved out of an outcrop of white sandstone atop a mountain that rises 230 metres from the valley floor. The first part of the vestibule, which is divided in two, has a shallow dome engraved with a cross. Inside, colourful frescoes of biblical scenes, portraits of saints, and geometrical designs cover not only the walls but the ceiling, too. (Photo by Ethiopia – The Living Churches of an Ancient Kingdom/The American University in Cairo Press/The Guardian)
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