The medieval icon, Gondar, is one of the historical sites and destination for tourists from all over the world. According to legend, the kingdom entrenched up to Nubia, (North Sudan), Yemen and Somalia had served as Ethiopian capital for 250 years.
The city, founded by the famous king Fasiledes is known for its several royal castles, built by him and his successors ,Fasil Ghebbi ( the Royal Enclosure) , for which, Gondar has been called the “Camelot of Africa . Gondar is still glorified through history, literature and music. The royal enclosure is a source of pride for Gondarians, writes Tibebeselassie Tigabu.
Those who are fascinated with the Gondarian Period talk about overwhelming legends and myths. One of the legends includes the tale of Emperor Iyasu who ruled Ethiopia from1682-1706.
The implanted diamonds in his crown and his golden outfits are the least of the legend. His kingdom stretched up to Nubia (North Sudan), Yemen and Somalia. Described as one of the greatest horsemen, Emperor Iyasu also defeated the Ottoman Turks in various fierce battles.
His palace, with its vaulted ceiling, is said to have been decorated with ivory, gold and other ornaments before earthquakes and British bombing destroyed it. Now only the skeletal shells of the castles and the legends remind us of his greatness. His residence is one of the castles that is located inside Fasil Gibi (royal enclosure).
Glorified throughout history, literature and music, the royal enclosure is a source of pride for Gondarians. During encounters with the inhabitants, one can observe how this legacy is deeply entrenched.
The inception of the Gondarian Period came following the battle between Emperor Gelawdeos and Gragn Ahmed (Ahmed the Left-handed ) in Denbia, 60km from Gondar. While driving from Addis Ababa to Gondar, one can see the peak of Guzara Castle, which overlooks Lake Tana. The closer one approaches Gondar, the royal enclosure is made more visible from different sides. A hyper history buff might talk about how this castle served as a prototype for Emperor Fasil. Famous for his closed-door policy, the beloved King Fasiledes of the Gondarian Period came to power in 1632.
The tour guide inside the royal enclosures tries to relate to foreign tourist visit by frequently using the phrase ” Camelot of Africa” (Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur who appears in 12th century European history as well as in romanticized, and nearly mythical, narrative accounts). Focusing on the Gondarian Period, the 250 years when Gondar served as the capital of Ethiopia, the tour guide describes glimpses into Ethiopian history starting from Axum, the legend of Sheba, the Solomonic Kingdom and various ruling elites up to the current regime. The historic stories focus on the kings, their greatness, their achievements, the epic wars, and the extent of their kingdom.
The royal enclosure rests on 70,000sqm, and consists of Fasiledes’s castle, Iyasu’s palace, Dawit’s Hall, Empress Mentewab’s castle and palace, Tzadich Yohannes’s library and chancellery, Emperor Dawit’s castle, Emperor Bakafa’s banquet hall, another banqueting hall, horse stables, a library and three churches. It has twelve entrances and three bridges.
One of the biggest castles, Fasiledes, is 32 meter high and it has huge four dome-shaped towers and looming battlemented walls.
It took ten years to build, consuming the labor of one thousand workers. Many western writers have penned that the edifice was influenced by Moorish and Portuguese architecture. The sketch of the castle’s design has been archived by the father of Ethiopian filmmaker Haile Gerima.
Up till the last king, Eyoas, the successors of Fasiledes left their mark in history, not only with their construction of castles but also for their deeds, which earned them nick names. For instance, King Yohannes. who did not believe in collecting taxes and was sympathetic to animals, is called Saint Yohannes while Ergum Teklehaymanot (cursed Teklehaymanot) was given that nickname for sending a mercenary to kill his father. Dawit who loved art and music, the powerful Mintwab, Emperor Bakafa who built a U shape castle with a banquet hall and horse stable all have their mark in history. A sophisticated water shortage system for a sauna, for a vineyard and other vegetation, as well for cleaning is also part of the castle.
Being the medieval icon, Gondar is one of the historical sites and tourist destinations that gets visitors from all over the world. But if visitors arrive at Fasiledes Castle during lunchtime, someone has to sit until it is over, which is highly criticized by many visitors who would have been in transit for a day or a couple of hours.
After paying the entrance fee of 10 birr for Ethiopians and 200 birr for foreigners, you are on your own unless if you want to hire a tour guide with 200 birr. There is no description stating where you should head; there’s even less detail about which palaces belonged to which emperor.
If one has a tour guide, it might take one hour. Otherwise there is nothing to do with the exception of a small café that isn’t lively at all. It is only a legacy of Dawit’s hall, which is known as the House of Song where many religious and secular ceremonies and lavish entertainment took place.
The vibrancy of the place has been in question for a long time, especially Fasiledes’s two-storey bath pavilion, which stands empty; five minutes is enough to look at it and go on with the tour.
In ancient times, the water was supplied by a canal from a nearby river, but currently, it is an empty space for the whole year and is only reserved for one occasion–the Timket celebration. The concern about inactivity has been forwarded to the tourism bureau.
“We understand the gap. We want to make it a living museum and give a human breath to this space,” Getahun Seyoum, Gonder City Administration Culture Tourism and Sports Department Head, says.
Though many commend the re-introduction of music and other activities to recreate the medieval period, Getahun says it is not easy.
“Since it is an ancient heritage, it needs detailed research. The UNESCO guidelines also dictates that. We cannot alter things significantly,” Getahun says.
In the past, there had been inappropriate conservation interventions carried out between 1930 and1936 with the use of cement and reinforced concrete, which affected the authenticity. The conservation efforts ended with the restoration carried out by UNESCO in the 1970s. According to Getahun, they were scared to push any kind of activity after that.
Within this, there are young people like Tigist Sisay, an artist who does spoken word with masinko, who is becoming the voice of the young people. These young people proposed to include an activity in the Fasiledes castle and are critical about it.
“For Gondarians, it is a legacy. But apart from that, why would you go to the place frequently? What would you miss? It is an empty space but for the piles of stone,” Tigist says.
Understanding the historical importance she suggests activities that do not affect the castle in anyway.
Since tourists’ visits are seasonal, both she and Getahun say that the tourists only pass through Gondar, to stay for no more than a day.
Many foreigners and Ethiopians come to attend one of the vibrant Timket (Epiphany) celebration, which was recently extended to seven days. The celebration encompasses heritage such as food, drinks, music and bazaar. In order to accommodate various people, the festival became more cultural.
In order to make the stay of the tourists longer there are establishments such as tej houses, and close to 12 traditional azmari houses. According to Getahun, to make the city vibrant and to give it the taste of the medieval period, recreating the old forgotten values was necessary.
Recreating the old Gondar will be an immense task. The medieval history of Ethiopia is not symbolized in ordinary house structures rather the houses are a hybrid of different periods.
The city was plundered and burnt and passed through devastation at the hands of different forces. Sudanese invaders set fire to almost every one of the city’s churches. Saved by the swarm of bees from Sudanese Dervishes in the 1880s, the Debreberhan Selassie church is a place with the ancient iconography of almond eyed shape arches. A mass of art work on its ceilings is one of the historical attractions for visitors.
The city is also a hybrid of picturesque old houses–the remnants of the five-year Italian aggression. The piazza features shops and even a cinema. The statue of Gondar’s pride and general Ethiopian heroic symbol, Emperor Tewodros, stands in the middle of a square in the piazza.
When there are countries where the old and new go hand in hand, Gondar’s old neighborhoods are leaving a place for concrete buildings. Though late, the tourism bureau decentralized up to the woreda level to register the historical houses, which currently, only 81 houses are registered with a description.
Some of them are privately owned while others are under the government’s control.
One of the area which is highly affected is Enkoye mesk; a unique egg shaped architecture for the enderases (peoples’ representatives).
Like other urban cities, the boom in construction is catching up to one of the oldest city’s, erasing it character. With this boom of construction many are predicting, a building that might cover the view of the 32 meter royal enclosure. There are a couple of big buildings such as Bakafa Hotel and others, which are marked and are still in discussion by the administration regarding their fate. But in response to the influx of tourists, there are a couple of lodges that tried to revive the architecture styles of the ancient times. These places are outlets for tourists’ recreation.
Gondar is like many cities in Ethiopia. There are many rampant khat houses and clubs. Even the azmari houses are being modified with modern instruments like keyboard, and restaurants are given names like FM and Kamelot, which allows the city to join in on the trend in other urban areas. Though many criticize the current changes, Gondar is still the ecclesiastical learning center for the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church. Now with the creation of new traditions due to its urban identity, Gondar is a melting pot of diverse traditions.
The number of tourists is growing every year, according to Getahun. The data that was collected from Fasil Castle is 38,600 foreign tourists and 650,000 Ethiopian tourists.
Getahun thinks this number is higher when it comes to Arab, Sudanese and other foreign tourists who might not actually visit Fasil, but instead might come for the azmari nights, to see Semien Mountain and for other activities. Looking at the data of tourists, Getahun says that the local tourists grew by 25 percent while the foreign tourists grew by 10 percent.
Looking at the number of local tourists, Getahun sees an appreciation of heritage. Though Dessalegn Yilma, Gondar tour guide and former president of the Tour Guides Association, appreciates this increase, he also says that their financial contribution is insignificant. Since many of the local tourists come through pilgrimage, many of them shelter in churches.
While Getahun is saying the tourism is improving, Dessalegn says it could have improved more. Problems he sees include the lack of professionalism in the field, lack of organized structure and lack of diversified products at tourist sites that can earn money.
Many people are nostalgic about the past and glorify the greatness of Gondar and talk about how it is caught in a spiraling decline. Though once a trade route, many say the activities of the city declined throughout the years. And though it is a tourist destination, many claim the governments in the past and of today have neglected Gondar.
Like any other city in Ethiopia, many people from Gondar migrate to different countries. With the benefit of proximity to Sudan, there are many people who speak Sudanese. In the past, especially during Derg regime, a great number of Gondarians migrated into the United States. Following this, many joke by saying that Gondar is the 52nd state. Dawit Gezahegn, who stayed in America for two years, says second generation Ethiopians in Michigan always make a W sign with their fingers to imply that they are from the Wolkait area. He heard from friends that they even say “Wolkait for life”. Many churches were also constructed in America with the name ye Gondaru (Gondarian).
Dawit’s two brothers have been living abroad for more than three decades. They support not only his parents, but their extended family as well. Now while establishing his own business, he sees diaspora investing in the agro industry. It has been said that the lion share of foreign remittance goes to Gondar. People like Getahun says there is no one who doesn’t have a relative abroad.
Many have new brand phones, iPads and even brand clothes. According to Dawit, if one comes for Timket, one will find a brand new technology in Gondar. Though he believes this situation creates a feeling of dependency, it has also changed many lives.