The legend of Aksum began around the time of King Solomon (950 B.C.). It tells of a young woman named Makeda who destroyed the serpent that had long kept the city of Aksum in slavery. As a result of this victory, her father became king and later Makeda herself became queen of the land of Sheba.
In the book known as The Glories of the Kings (“Kebre Nagast” in Amharic), the story is told of how Menelick I, the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon, founded the dynasty of Ethiopian kings.
Probably originally from the Arabian peninsula, some tribes settled beyond the Red Sea. From this fusion of cultures came the kingdom of Aksum, which occupied a strategic trade crossroads between the Orient and the peoples of North Africa.
Around the mid of 4th century, the Axumite King Ezana converted to Christianity, thereby making his kingdom one of the oldest Christian states in the world and making Axum the “sacred city of Ethiopia”.
Today Aksum still maintains countless treasures from its glorious past. It is possible to visit the archaeological sites, the famous stelae and the city’s fascinating museum.
Some of our proposals to visit this ancient town:
Essential tour in the North of Ethiopia with internal flights that allows to travel in a fast and comfort way the big distances that separate the monumental sites, realising the trip in the chronological direction. [...]
Complete tour in the North of Ethiopia by internal flights, that allow to travel in a fast and comfortable way the big distances that separate the monumental sites, enriched with the fascinating region of Tigray. [...]
Complete tour to North Ethiopia with all transfers by surface, allowing a complete experience of the variety and width of unique Ethiopian plateau sceneries. It’s the ideal combination for slow-travel lovers enjoying not only the [...]
