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26 GOURMET TRAVELLER
Lalibela, Ethiopia
TOM PARKER, PHOTOGRAPHER
“The Church of Saint George is
the magnificent centrepiece of the
Lalibela monolithic rock-hewn
churches, built in the late 12th
century by King Gebre Mesqel
Lalibela in Ethiopia’s north.
“Remarkably, the church is
carved from a single piece of
volcanic rock. The cross at ground
level is actually the roof; the
entrance is 30 metres below and
part of a maze of underground
tunnels. It’s one of 11 rock-hewn
churches carved in two clusters
- an attempt by the king to build
his own version of Jerusalem.
“This shot was taken on a
Sunday morning, immediately
after a service attended by scores
of Christian pilgrims. It was
a real privilege to be at this most
holy of sites.”
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