Africa’s cultural landmarks: rock

The rock-hewn churches of Lalibela in northern Ethiopia are at once unique expressions of Ethiopian Orthodox spirituality and extraordinary works of architecture. Dating back to the 12th century, the 11 interconnected structures were each carved out of volcanic rock from the top down. Today, they remain active places of worship, holding regular services and drawing some 100,000 pilgrims each year. For this short documentary, the Ethiopian American filmmaker Sosena Solomon travelled to Lalibela, interviewing local experts to discuss the churches’ history, unique beauty and profound significance to members of the Ethiopian Orthodox faith. In particular, the film captures how conservation experts are working with the priests who are the only people allowed into the innermost sanctuaries of the churches to preserve them for future generations. The film is part of the short documentary series Africa’s Cultural Landmarks, produced by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in collaboration with the World Monuments Fund. For more from this series, discover the rock-hewn churches of Tigray in Ethiopia.