Exploring Gondar Castle in the Camelot of Africa”

Exploring Gondar Castle in the Camelot of Africa”

Before a three-day hike in the Simien Wilderness, we take a breather to explore the magnificent Castle of Gondar

Gondar Castle is unlikely. It is improbable in size, style and design, but most importantly in location. After all, this is Ethiopia, and if TIA is to be believed, we should be looking at desert landscapes with baobab trees, not Camelot in the sun.

Gondar Castle in the fortified town of Fasil Ghebbi indeed conjures up legends from times past. Given the Great Mosque of Djenné and Africa's other architectural wonders, this shouldn't be much of a surprise, but I find the evocation of medieval Europe astonishing, perhaps even more so since Ethiopians will tell you that Ethiopia is one of only two African countries that were never colonized (the other being Liberia).

alt=“Gondar Castle in the fortress city of Fasil Ghebbi”>Atlas & BootsGondar Castle in the fortress city of Fasil Ghebbi

So how did this unlikely structure come about? As with many things, its origins lie in religion.

Religion in Ethiopia dates back thousands of years. In fact, Ethiopia was only the second nation after Armenia to adopt Christianity as a state religion (around 330 AD).

Around 1622, the Ethiopian Emperor Susenyos I converted to Roman Catholicism under the influence of Portuguese missionaries, which led to years of rebellion. His son Fasiladas took over his rule in 1632 and restored the traditional Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

alt="The crenellated parapet of Gondar Castle">Atlas & BootsThe crenellated parapet of Gondar Castle

According to legend, a few years into his reign, Fasiladas met a venerable hermit near the Angereb River in the north of the country. The hermit urged Fasiladas to establish his capital there, and the emperor duly undertook to found the city that would become Gondar, home to the castles and fortifications of Fasil Ghebbi.

Gondar served as the capital of Ethiopia from approximately 1636 to 1855 and is now home to not only the Castle of Gondar (also known as Castle of Fasiladas), but several other castles, churches, monasteries and royal buildings built by Fasilada's successors.

alt="Emperor Iyasu's Castle">Atlas & BootsEmperor Iyasu's castle

We reached Fasil Ghebbi through one of the 12 gates that break the 900 m (2,900 ft) high wall that surrounds the royal enclosure. Tickets in hand, we politely avoided the waiting group of guides and set off to explore. (We were told the guides were worth the 200 ETB/$7 USD, but we generally prefer to explore on our own.)

Of course we started at the main attraction: the impressive Gondar Castle. Said to have been built by an Indian architect, this magnificent structure evokes a sense of the surreal. The huge domed towers and the crenellated parapet are reminiscent of medieval Europe transported to Ethiopia. The massive walls of rough-hewn brown basalt stone held together with mortar are topped by a flat roof and a rectangular tower in the southwest corner that offers sweeping views of Lake Tana.

As we walked along the looming mass, it was easy to imagine the festivals of raw meat and honey wine described in history books.

Fasil Ghebbi was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979, but at 70,000 square meters, it is not quite fully restored. We were captivated by the size and splendor, but upon closer inspection we noticed peeling walls and crumbling stones, no doubt a lingering remnant of World War II, when the Italians inflicted damage on the city during the occupation and the British bombed it during the liberation.

Still, Fasil Ghebbi wears his scars well. Any decay only adds to its aura of a long-forgotten Camelot, yet its original splendor is still evident.

We took a look inside Gondar Castle before exploring the rest of the grounds, which could easily be confused with the Robin Hood set.

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In addition to the impressive collection of royal buildings within the enclosure, there are several others scattered throughout Gondar. We visited Debre Berhan Selassie Church for Sunday morning service.

Also worth a visit is the Baths of Fasilidas, which you can enter with your Fasil Ghebbi ticket.

alt=“Debre Berhan Selassie is a short tuk-tuk ride from the city center”>Atlas & BootsDebre Berhan Selassie is a short tuk-tuk ride from the city center

In some ways, Gondar Castle, with its towering domes and crenellated walls, is the least expected sight in Ethiopia. But in others it means the country perfect. Ethiopia is a country that subverts expectations; that suffers from the grip of presumption; that holds newcomers in constant surprise. A structure like this or any kind shouldn't be a shock at all. As the slogan suggests, Ethiopia is after all the country of origin.

Exploring Gondar Castle: the essentials

What: Visit Gondar Castle, also known as Fasilides Castle, in Ethiopia.

Where: We stayed at the Lodge du Chateau, just seconds from the royal enclosure of Fasil Ghebbi. The lodge is run by Simon, a Gondar native and perfect host. Simon picked us up from Axum airport, gave us excellent insider tips about Gondar and even sent a member of staff to put us on the right bus upon departure.

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Simon claims to be the best breakfast in Ethiopia, and we have to say, it was definitely delicious: local honey and ripe avocado accompany fresh bread and Ethiopian coffee, while the wheat pancakes or special omelette make for a particularly good start to the day. The view over Gondar is also pleasant.

The rooms are simple but functional. The walls are thin, so bring earplugs. The WiFi was spotty during our stay, but that seemed to be pretty standard in Ethiopia. All in all, Lodge du Chateau is a super affordable place to explore Gondar Castle.

When: The best time to visit Gondar Castle in Ethiopia is October to March, when most parts of the country experience pleasant temperatures, blue skies and low rainfall.

How: Gondar Castle in the royal enclosure of Fasil Ghebbi is just seconds from Lodge du Chateau. Entry costs 200 ETB (7 USD) per person. This includes a day at Fasil Ghebbi (opening times 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.) and a second day at Fasiladas Baths, 2 km away. Note that there is an additional fee for using a video camera: 75 ETB ($3) for a small camera and 125 ETB ($4.5) for a professional camera. You can pick up a guide at the entrance. We preferred to explore on our own.

We flew from Axum to Gondar airport and got a transfer to Lodge du Chateau arranged by the owner Simon (lodge@lodgeduchateau.com).

After our stay in Gondar, we continued to Bahir Dar on a public coaster bus: 100 ETB (4 USD) per person. Bus stop touts are very aggressive, so be prepared to fight them off. Avoid sitting at the back of the bus. We had five people in four seats (six people if you count the baby!). Note that we got on the bus at 9am and left at 10:15am while waiting for the bus to be full.

You can arrange a private transfer through your hotel, but note that there is no official taxi service, so you'll be at the mercy of local traders.

Domestic flights are the fastest way to travel in Ethiopia (check the latest routes here). It is much cheaper to book flights at an Ethiopian Airlines office in the country. Be sure to mention if you flew internationally with them as you will be eligible for a significant discount.

Addis Ababa is the country's main international airport. Book international flights via skyscanner.net.

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Lonely Planet Ethiopia is a comprehensive travel guide to the country, ideal for those who want to both explore the top attractions and take the road less traveled. If you prefer to travel in a tour, we recommend G Adventures and their small group Ethiopia tours.

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