Lalībela, historical name Roha, religious and pilgrimage centre,

north-central Ethiopia. Roha, capital of the Zagwe dynasty for about

300 years, was renamed for its most distinguished monarch, Lalībela
(late 12th–early 13th century), who, according to tradition, built the
11 monolithic churches for which the place is famous. The churches,
designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1978, were hewn out of
solid rock (entirely below ground level) in a variety of styles.
Generally, trenches were excavated in a rectangle, isolating a solid
granite block. The block was then carved both externally and
internally, the work proceeding from the top downward. The churches
are arranged in two main groups, connected by subterranean
passageways. One group, surrounded by a trench 36 feet (11 metres)
deep, includes House of Emmanuel, House of Mercurios, Abba
Libanos, and House of Gabriel, all carved from a single rock hill.
House of Medhane Alem (“Saviour of the World”) is the largest
church, 109 feet (33 metres) long, 77 feet (23 metres) wide, and 35 feet
(10 metres) deep. House of Giyorgis, cruciform in shape, is carved
from a sloping rock terrace. House of Golgotha contains Lalībela’s
tomb, and House of Mariam is noted for its frescoes. The interiors
were hollowed out into naves and given vaulted ceilings.

The expert craftsmanship of the Lalībela churches has been linked

with the earlier church of Debre Damo near Aksum and tends to
support the assumption of a well-developed Ethiopian tradition of
architecture. Emperor Lalībela had most of the churches constructed
in his capital, Roha, in the hope of replacing ancient Aksum as a city of
Ethiopian preeminence. Restoration work in the 20th century
indicated that some of the churches may have been used originally as
fortifications and royal residences.
The churches attract thousands of pilgrims during the major holy day
celebrations and are tended by priests of the Ethiopian Orthodox
Tewahedo Church. The town also serves as a market centre for
the Amhara people. Pop. (2007) 17,367.