Attraction
National Museum of Ethiopia
Ethiopia's national collection, home to the Lucy and Selam hominid fossils plus royal regalia, Ethiopian art from traditional to modern, and ethnographic displays.
St George’s Cathedral
Octagonal cathedral at the top of Churchill Road, built in 1911, where Empress Zewditu and Haile Selassie were crowned, with a museum of imperial relics.
At a glance
- Type
- Octagonal Orthodox cathedral and museum
- Area
- Piazza, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Good to know
- Museum
- Afewerk Tekle stained glass
Why we recommend it
St George's Cathedral, or Kidus Giyorgis, closes the northern end of Churchill Road and is one of the defining buildings of old Addis Ababa. It is named after St George because the church's tabot was carried to the Battle of Adwa in 1896, where Ethiopian forces defeated the Italian army. The present building was designed and built in 1911 by the Italian engineer Sebastiano Castagna on the site of an older church, and it soon became the setting for the country's great ceremonies.
Empress Zewditu was crowned here in 1917 and Emperor Haile Selassie in 1930, which is why the cathedral also became a pilgrimage site for Rastafarians. During the occupation Italian Fascist authorities set the building on fire in 1937, and Haile Selassie restored it after liberation in 1941. Its octagonal form is the feature most visitors remember, described in a 1938 Italian publication as a European interpretation of the traditional Ethiopian church.
The cathedral museum is the best place in the city to see the material culture of the Adwa era. It displays an imperial throne and weapons used in the wars against Italy, including curved swords, tridents and the striking ceremonial helmets made from lion manes. Stained glass by the Ethiopian artist Afewerk Tekle is also on show, and makes a useful link if you have already seen his paintings at the National Museum.
Treat the cathedral as the working church it is. Dress modestly, remove shoes where requested and avoid wandering into services. Visits usually take about an hour including the museum, or longer if you want to study the Adwa weapons and regalia in detail. A guide can point out the details of the Adwa collection.
The cathedral stands at the edge of Piazza, the district the Italians named during the occupation, so it is easy to combine with a walk around the area. The Adwa Victory Memorial Museum, opened in 2024, is close by, as is the historic Taitu Hotel, and the original Tomoca coffee shop on Wavel Street is a short stroll away for a macchiato afterwards. Merkato lies further west for those who want to continue into the city's commercial heart.
St George’s Cathedral FAQs
Why is it called St George's?
The church's tabot was carried to the Battle of Adwa in 1896, and the victory was credited to Saint George.
When was it built?
The present octagonal building was designed and built in 1911 by the Italian engineer Sebastiano Castagna.
Who was crowned here?
Empress Zewditu in 1917 and Emperor Haile Selassie in 1930.
What is in the museum?
An imperial throne, weapons from the wars against Italy, lion-mane helmets and stained glass by Afewerk Tekle.
How long should I allow?
Around an hour for the church and museum.
Is there a dress code?
Dress modestly with shoulders and knees covered and remove shoes where asked.
What is nearby?
The Adwa Victory Memorial Museum, the Taitu Hotel and the original Tomoca coffee shop are all in the Piazza area.