Lalibela’s cultural landscape extends from the grounds of the rock-hewn churches to the surrounding environs. The traditional homes of Lasta, the district where Lalibela is located, were explicitly included and protected under UNESCO World Heritage documentation for the region. The homes, known as tukuls, are part of an ancient architectural tradition that evolved to suit the climate and terrain of the Highlands. Their origins go back many centuries, pre-dating the Aksumite Empire.
The design
Typically, the homes are two-story, circular buildings with thatch or conical roofs and internal staircases leading to the upper floor. Red stone masonry is commonly used in Lalibela, where basalt or volcanic tuff is abundant. In rural areas, earth, mortar, wattle, and daub are widely used as substitutes for stone. The thatched roof for both is tied onto a wooden frame. The walls are often coated with a mixture of mud and straw, or a cow dung plaster, which makes the structure waterproof and insect-resistant. Lime-based plaster is sometimes used in more modern homes. Packed earth is a common flooring material, but cow dung is sometimes utilized to provide smoothness and, ironically, for hygienic reasons. When mixed with mud, dried cow dung creates an antimicrobial surface that cements dust and repels insects.
Wealthier families historically built the two-story stone versions, while those less affluent built simple single-story earthen huts known as chikas. Over time, the two-story homes became a status symbol for the wealthy, but initially, they developed as a means of providing ventilation and internal cooling. The upper floor often served as a sleeping space, while the lower floor was reserved for cooking or animals.
I found the architecture of these round duplexes quite attractive. However, their design was not meant to be aesthetically pleasing; it is a byproduct of functionality. The two-story homes are considered highly adapted to the temperature fluctuations and steep topography of the highlands. Additionally, the circular shape withstands rift valley earthquakes better than angled houses.
Wattle and daub is a mixture of woven branches plastered with mud.
Preservation of rural tukuls
Rural area tukuls have been preserved for heritage tourism because they resemble the medieval domestic architecture associated with the church builders. Modern versions of the homes sometimes replace thatch with metal roofing but maintain the circular form.
Connection to the Rock-Hewn Churches
The rock-hewn churches are essentially the spiritualized evolution of the traditional home layout. Tukuls are called “bet” – the same word used for the churches (i.e., Biete Medhani, Biete Maryam). Lalibela’s builders intentionally connected daily life and spiritual life, reflecting the belief that the holy and the everyday are not separate realms.
The Symbolism
The circular form of the tukul represents unity and protection. The central roof pole mimics the Earth’s axis or center. Many tukuls include a smoke hole and a sacred corner. The smoke hole represents a connection to heaven, and the sacred space is for ancestral items.
The churches of Lalibela preserve these ideas in an enhanced form. Early Ethiopian churches were also round in shape. Like the homes, most churches have vertical shafts and high windows, which admit light from above, symbolizing a link to heaven. All churches contain a sacred space known as the Maqdas. The Maqdas, or Holy of Holies, is the most sacred part of an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian church. This is where the Tabot, or replica of the Ark of the Covenant, is housed. The Ark was considered the physical representation of God’s presence with the Israelites.
The Ark of the Covenant was a sacred chest built by the ancient Israelites to house the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments.
One thing I found to be true throughout Ethiopia, but particularly in Lalibela, is that there is symbolism in everything.
Up Next: Biete Medhani Alem & Biete Maryam
