In the focus of this article there are three large monastic churches, carved out in the rocks of Garalta in Ethiopian region of Tigray: Maryam Dabra Qorqor, Maryam Dabra Tsion and Giyorgis Dabra Maar. Their creation dates back to the period from the second half of the 13th century (the dating of the church in Qorqor) to the first half of the 15th century (the dating of the church in Debre Maar). In many ways, these monuments are significantly different from each other: both in the different interpretation of the basilica plan and the forms and features of the decoration placement. According to hagiographic sources, each of these monuments is associated with the names of remarkable devotees. The article provides a comparative analysis of the architectural features of these three monuments, reveals their relationship with each other. The article also considers their relation to the local tradition of Aksumite architecture, innovative trends. The influence of these monuments on other rock-hewn churches of Tigray is also noted.

Introduction: I will discuss the structural problems of late Ottoman mansions and their probable reasons referring to our experiences from the restoration of four mansions which have been carried on by my team in the last two decades and my design approach as well as our practicing. Their structural problems gave us the traces of changes due to the socioeconomic characteristics of the new Otto-man bourgeois flourished in 18. Century.

This study explores the historical and architectural heritage of Wukro Medhane Alem, a least-known monolithic rock-hewn church in South Gondar. Primary and secondary sources of the study were collected through fieldwork, interviews, and literature review. The study shows that it is one of the medieval churches traditionally attributed to King Lalibela (r. 1181-1221). The hypogeum has a rectangular plan being deeply excavated out of bedrock. There is a built-up feature added over the roof's edge of the rock-hewn church. It imitates a Gondarine architectural tradition, implying the transition from the earlier rock-hewn tradition to the building architectural orientation of the Gondarine period (1636-1769). Its hypogeum reflects an Aksumite and medieval architectural tradition. Internally, the basilica is partitioned into kine mahilet (chanting), kiddist (holy) and mekides or kiddiste kiddusan (sanctuary) rooms through the arranged rock-hewn pillars, which are refined with arches, capitals, and entablatures that create the ceiling of the roof which is also decorated with engraved cruciform, geometrical, quadrifoliate, and crown-like protruding features. The kiddiste kiddusan has six sub-sanctuaries with doubled circular domed roofs and rectangular altars cut from the main rock. The hypogeum, thus, has such potential values to be promoted as an alternative tourist site in historic Gondar, which is mainly known to tourists for its built palaces.

Ethiopia is a country of great cultural antiquities. However, it is in contrary a country where its great cultural values are declining. This study explores a long neglected rock-hewn church recently revealed in Lay Gaynt District, South Gondar. To this end, data of the study was collected through field observation and interview and interpreted qualitatively. The site is known among the local society as Tefu Bete Kristian which means the abandoned church that is not served as a church. Attesting significant architectural motifs, it is a monolithic church carved out of single bedrock. The absence of frontal exterior rock wall characters its planning unusual. Unlike the columns in the interior nave, its exterior columns that partly surround the hypogeum lack decorative embellishments. It has a nave enclosed by a rock wall with doorways evidencing Aksumite architectural affinities. Cruciform and geometrical engravings are the dominant decorative expressions of the nave. The nave is partitioned in to aisles and sanctuaries by rows of pillars that have architrave and bosses surmounted at the mid of the arches. The easternmost part of the nave is a tripartite sanctuary that has domed roof and importable rock-hewn altars. Historically, based on the local gaze, it was a medieval church dedicated to the Cross of Jesus. Its abandonment traces back to the 16 th century conflict of the Christian Kingdom and Muslim Sultanates of Ethiopia. It is an example of neglected cultural monuments tattling the shortfalls of the country's cultural heritage management system. The hypogeum is deteriorated by combined anthropogenic and natural factors. It is still used by the local settlers for animal dwelling and stalk heaping. Flooding that enters into its sanctuary has brought a profound deterioration. This study recommends the need of an urgent protection, heritagization of the site and further investigations on the site.