Holy Trinity Cathedral

Holy Trinity Cathedral, known locally as Kidist Selassie, is the highest-ranking Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo cathedral in Addis Ababa and the seat of the city's archdiocese. Patriarchs are enthroned here and bishops consecrated, so it holds a place in national religious life that few other churches share. Construction began on 22 December 1931 under Emperor Haile Selassie, stopped during the Italian occupation and was completed in 1942, when the cathedral was dedicated to the victory over Italy and to the resistance fighters who made it possible.

The building is unusual in Ethiopia because it is square rather than circular. Inside, the threefold layout follows the model of Solomon's Temple: an outer area where the congregation sings, a middle space where communion is given, and an inner sanctuary that only priests enter, holding the tabot, the consecrated replica of the Ark of the Covenant. The south transept has a chapel to the Archangel Michael whose tabot was returned to Ethiopia in 2002 after being found in Edinburgh.

For many visitors the tombs are the main reason to come. Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen Asfaw are buried in the north transept, and other members of the imperial family lie in the crypt. Outside, the churchyard holds the graves of patriarchs, of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, and of people who fought the occupation or went into exile with the emperor between 1936 and 1941. The British suffragette and anti-fascist campaigner Sylvia Pankhurst, who spent her final years in Ethiopia, is also buried here. The compound includes a museum and memorials to those killed in Addis Ababa in 1937 after the attempt on Marshal Graziani's life.

This is an active place of worship, so dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, remove shoes where asked and keep voices low during services. Women may be expected to cover their hair in the church itself. Major feast days are busy with worshippers, and parts of the church may then be closed to sightseers. A local guide can explain the tombs and the history of the compound.

A visit here combines naturally with Unity Park, where the palace of Menelik II can be toured, and with the National Museum, which holds imperial regalia from Haile Selassie's reign. Together they make a compact day of imperial and religious history, and Lucy Lounge and Restaurant beside the museum is a convenient lunch stop.