| Bete Giyorgis Stone Temple | |
 Side view of Bete Giyorgis Temple in Ethiopia
| |
| Location: | Lalibela, Wollo Province, Ethiopia |
| Built: | ~13th Century |
| Governing body: | Ethiopia |
The Bete Giyorgis Temple (St. George Temple) is a church in Lalibela, Ethiopia. Built in the early thirteenth century, it is the most well known and last built of the eleven churches in the Lalibela area, and has been referred to as the "Eighth Wonder of the World".[1] The dimensions of the complex are 25 meters by 25 meters by 30 meters,[2] and there is a small baptismal pool outside the church, which stands in an artificial trench. Still actively used for worship, the Churches are each carved from a single piece of rock – either down into the ground, or into a hillside.
According to Ethiopian history, Bete Giyorgis was built after King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela of the Zagwe dynasty had a vision in which he was instructed to construct the church; Saint George[3][4] and God[1] have both been referred to as the one who gave him the instructions.
As of 2006, Lalibela is still a pilgrimage site for members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church; the church itself is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela".[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Lalibela:The Eighth Wonder of the World". Tzu Chi Foundation. Retrieved 10 November 2006.
- ↑ "Rock-Hewn Churches of Lalibela". Sacred Destinations. Retrieved 10 November 2006.
- ↑ "The recording of Bet Giorgis". GIS Development. Retrieved 10 November 2006.
- ↑ "Ethiopia". L.B. Associates (Pvt) Limited. Retrieved 10 November 2006.
- ↑ "Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela". United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 10 November 2006.
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