Gorgora was a hard-fought prize during the Italian occupation and on the way into town you’ll pass Mussolini’s stele, high on a hill, which commemorates the capture. In town, the historic-looking ruins on a much lower hill are nothing more than a recent, never-completed hotel.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.77 MILES
Welcome to one of Ethiopia's most beautiful churches. Appealing as it is on the outside with its stone walls, arched doors and two-tiered thatch roof, it…
22.03 MILES
Set in the middle of the lake on Dek Island, Narga Selassie is peaceful, atmospheric and little visited. Built in the mid-18th century, it has a Gonderian…
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23.69 MILES
One of the lake’s most sacred monasteries, Dega Estefanos (men only) was rebuilt in the mid-19th century and though the church isn’t too interesting, it…
29 MILES
The Gonder of yesteryear was a city of extreme brutality and immense wealth. Today the wealth and brutality are gone, but the memories linger in this…
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2.37 MILES
The most interesting relic of Gorgora’s former days as a short-lived capital is the attractive Debre Sina church. Built in 1608 by Emperor Susenyos’ son…
29.17 MILES
Around 2km northwest of the piazza lies Fasiladas’ Bath, which has been attributed to both Fasiladas and Iyasu I. The large rectangular pool is overlooked…
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Empress Mentewab’s Kuskuam Complex
29.11 MILES
It mightn't be as well-preserved as the Royal Enclosure, or as sacred as Debre Berhan Selassie, but what this royal compound, known as Kuskuam, lacks in…
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1.9 MILES
Of Tana’s four far-northern monasteries, all west of Gorgora, Mandaba Medhane Alem, which hosts ancient biblical manuscripts and some of Ethiopia’s most…
Nearby Northern Ethiopia attractions
1.9 MILES
Of Tana’s four far-northern monasteries, all west of Gorgora, Mandaba Medhane Alem, which hosts ancient biblical manuscripts and some of Ethiopia’s most…
2.37 MILES
The most interesting relic of Gorgora’s former days as a short-lived capital is the attractive Debre Sina church. Built in 1608 by Emperor Susenyos’ son…
3.37 MILES
If you’re a serious monastery lover, or just want to stretch your legs on the way to and from the palace, Angara Tekla Haimanot's current church was built…
3.46 MILES
The most rewarding of the monasteries is known for its jungle and dedicated monks. The building itself is fairly standard, but the highlight is a lovely…
5.22 MILES
Emperor Susenyos (r 1607–32) built his palace, known by locals as Susenyos Ghimb, on a peninsula (called Old Gorgora) 10km west of town. It can be reached…
5.53 MILES
Near Susenyos’ palace is the Portuguese Cathedral he funded. The decrepit state (due largely to a 1995 earthquake) evokes his failed attempt to force…
7.91 MILES
The oldest monastery, Galila, is a one-hour boat journey southwest of Gorgora. Although destroyed by invading armies in the 16th century, the church was…
22.03 MILES
Set in the middle of the lake on Dek Island, Narga Selassie is peaceful, atmospheric and little visited. Built in the mid-18th century, it has a Gonderian…