Monasteries of Bahar Dar 
Boat ride to the monasteries; monastery exterior. Photos by mdziedzic.
Exterior of another monastery. Photo by mdziedzic.
A monk of the Giorgis monastery. Photo by Charles Roffey.
An old manuscript and colorful modern painting. Photo by mdziedzic.
Outer area of the Giorgis monastery. Photo by Charles Roffey.
Wall paintings in the Giorgis monastery. Photo by Charles Roffey.
Located on Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, Bahar Dar is an Ethiopian town with wide avenues of palms and flowers.
Bahar Dar's main attraction is the selection of Ethiopian Christian monasteries which are found on some 20 of Lake Tana's 37 islands. They can be reached by a convenient and fairly comfortable boat ride, which leaves regularly.
Most of the Bahar Dar monasteries date from the 16th and 17th centuries and have changed little since their founding. They are simple huts decorated with colorful scenes from the Bible and lives of the saints.
The Zege Peninsula is home to the Ura Kidane Mihret and Bet Maryam monasteries. The former is one of the most-visited of the monasteries. The round building consists of three concentric circles, the innermost of which is the Holy of Holies containing the monastery's replica of the Ark. The walls are covered in bright paintings, many of which depict violent martyrdoms. Bet Maryam has an interesting museum/treasury.
Another island is home to Kibran Gebriel, which can only be visited by men (female visitors will be taken to a different island monastery nearby). It also has an interesting museum, filled with old manuscripts, crowns and crosses.
Bahar Dar's other star attraction, the Blue Nile Falls, is about an hour's ride out of town.
See the Bahar Dar photo gallery for a look around a few of the Bahar Dar monasteries and nearby sights.
Map
Below is a location map and aerial view of Lake Tana, home to the Bahar Dar Monasteries (centered on the Zege Peninsula). Using the buttons on the left, zoom in for a closer look or zoom out to get your bearings. Click and drag the map to move around. For a larger view, see our Ethiopia Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Sources
- Ethiopia's Holy Route: Bahir Dar, Lake Tana, Blue Nile Falls - ATA
- Lake Tana Monasteries - Real Travel journal entry
- Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
