About This Destination
Axum, the ancient capital of the Aksumite Empire, is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Africa and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This legendary city was once the center of a powerful trading empire that connected Africa with Arabia, India, and the Mediterranean world. According to Ethiopian tradition, Axum is the final resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, housed in the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion.
The city's famous stelae field features towering granite obelisks, the largest of which once stood 33 meters tall—the biggest monolith humans ever attempted to erect. These carved monuments, some dating back to the 3rd century AD, served as grave markers for Aksumite royalty.
Axum offers visitors a profound connection to Ethiopia's ancient past, with archaeological sites, royal tombs, and ancient inscriptions that tell the story of one of the great civilizations of the ancient world.