-1 101 Z The city of Aksum, capital of the Aksumite kingdom, is located on the slopes of two hills, Beta Gigorgis and Mai Qoho. It has a residential area, a royal burial ground and smaller suburbs and cemeteries.
#Aksum
3 101 X The city of Aksum, capital of the Aksumite kingdom, is located on the slopes of two hills, Beta Gigorgis and Mai Qoho. It has a residential area, a royal burial ground and smaller suburbs and cemeteries.
#Aksum
2 103 F Over 140 monolithic granite pillars, many of them grave markers, dominated the city's centre. The largest, over 100 ft (30 m) tall, was possibly the largest monolith ever made, higher than any Egyptian obelisks, and weighed 520 tons. It represented a thirteen- storey palace, the distinctive Aksumite architectural features of window tracery and 'monkey-headed' protruding beam ends faithfully depicted in relief.
#Stelae, Silhouette of stelae
1 102 B Great granite thrones in the cemetery, dedicated to ancient deities or perhaps set up as memorials to victories and other great events. Even after the capital was moved from Aksum, coronation ceremonies still occasionally took place here, as in AD 1434 when Zara Ya'qob was crowned in the city.
#Monumental thrones, Reconstruction of throne
4 101 X The Dungur villa, built in a similar style to that of other Aksum palaces. Brick ovens and the remains of an underfloor heating system were found. Two stelae (carved monoliths) stood to the north of the building. This villa was just one of a number of large buildings that stood in this quarter of the city, known as Addi Kilte.
#Dungur villa
10 101 C The Tomb of the Brick Arches, one of the many monumental tombs in which the elite of Aksumite society were buried. A great staircase led into the underground burial chambers. Many of the Aksum tombs were cruciform in shape. Some were cut into the rock.
#Tomb of the Brick Arches, Tomb of the Brick Arches
6 102 E The Enda Mika'el palace, in the centre of the elite residential area of Aksum. Two other palaces, at Enda Semon and Ta'akha Maryam, were discovered nearby. An impressive staircase led up to the entrance, above which rose the four impressive towers of the palace.
#Palaces, Reconstruction of the palace
5 101 X Cathedral plinth: The 17th century cathedral of Maryam Tseyon is built on a stone plinth dating to the Aksumite period. The earlier cathedral on the site was described by 16th century travellers and may have included some Syrian influences.
