Called monolithic churches, all eleven are located in a town called Lalibela.
The largest and most popular church is the Church of Saint George. The roof of the church is level with the surrounding ground. Workers had to cut down through one large piece of rock in order to create the outer structure then carve out windows and the massive interior. Steps are carved into the surrounding ground in order to get to the entrance of the church, the full height of the buliding below ground level.
Lalibela is named after Zagwe king Gebre Mesqel Lalibela, who reigned from 1181-1221. There is dispute among scholars that construction of all eleven churches could have been completed before Lalibela’s reign ended and the belief is that construction continued after his death.
The eleven churches were named a UNESCO world heritage site in 1978.
