A trip out of the city and up to the summit of sacred Entoto Mountain, Addis Ababa (3200 metres) is well worth the effort, and not just for the great views of the city you get from the top. The mountain is densely covered by eucalyptus trees that were imported from Australia during the reign of Menelik II and mostly planted during Emperor Haile Selassie’s reign. Thus, it is sometimes referred to as the “lung of Addis Ababa”. The forest on the mountain is an important source of firewood for the city. It was also a source of building material in earlier times.
The Ethiopian Heritage Trust, a non-profit, non-governmental organization, is working actively to change part of the mountain to its old state, a natural park. The mountain is also home to the Ethiopian Space Science Society’s observatory.
In this article, I will tell you all you need to know to plan a visit to Entoto Mountain, Addis Ababa. For information on other places to visit in this amazing city, as well as travel tips, please read my Addis Ababa Travel Guide.
In this article
Essentials
Location
An hour’s drive outside of Addis Ababa. Take a taxi or book a tour from the city.
Whenever we visit a new destination, we book a tour with a local guide. There’s no better way to get under the skin of a place! We use Viator when we want to uncover interesting things to do in a new city. They’re easy to use and book with, and we’ve had some amazing experiences with them.
Check out these tours:
Opening Hours
Church, palace and museum – open every day from 11am to 6pm.
Entrance Fee
100 Birr per person (£2.70/$3.50 US) for entry to all three attractions.
Our Visit
Entoto Maryam Church
In Emperor Menelik’s day, Entoto was Ethiopia’s capital. Indeed, he was crowned in Entoto Maryam Church which is still in regular use today. The unusual octagonal shaped church is large and imposing and is a replacement for the tiny round church Menelik first had built on the site in 1877. Menelik’s wife, Empress Titu, who died in 1918, was originally buried in an unprepossessing tomb on Entoto, but she was later moved to a final resting place more befitting her status – next to her husband in Taeka Negest Ba’eta Le Mariam Monastery in Addis Ababa.
The Museum
Next to the church is a small, but interesting museum crammed with religious artefacts. Most fascinating to me, though, was the gold medal won by Derartu Tulu for the women’s 10,000-metre race at the summer Olympics in Sydney in 2000. It is displayed in a dusty glass case near the exit and I would have missed it had the guide not pointed it out to me. Derartu donated her medal to the museum in thanks to God and the church as she had trained at altitude on Entoto Mountain in preparation for the games.
Emperor Menelik’s Palace
Close to the church is Emperor Menelik’s palace, built in 1883. Forget the images usually conjured up by the word ‘palace’. This building is relatively small and very simple in design. The roof is thatched and the interior is plain, a humble residence for the ‘father’ of modern Ethiopia.
Some photos of Menelik’s Palace:
READ MY COMPLETE ADDIS ABABA TRAVEL GUIDE
Further Reading
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