Here was once the center of Ethiopian civilization from the 13th to 18th century. The construction was exquisite. When the first European came here， he can not help wondering： “It’s just like the new Jerusalem！”
拉利贝拉岩石教堂始建于公元12世纪后期拉利贝拉国王统治时期。它是基督教文明在埃塞俄比亚繁荣发展的非凡产物，享有“非洲奇迹”之称。
据说，12世纪，埃塞俄比亚第七代国王拉利贝拉呱呱落地的时候，一群蜂围着他的襁褓飞来飞去，驱之不去。拉利贝拉的母亲认准了那是儿子未来王权的象征，便给他起名拉利贝拉，意思是“宣告王权”。
哥哥想要毒杀他，被灌了毒药的拉利贝拉长睡三天不醒，在梦里，上帝指引他到耶路撒冷朝圣，并得神谕：“在埃塞俄比亚造一座新的耶路撒冷城，并要求用一整块岩石建造教堂。”
于是，拉利贝拉按照神谕在埃塞俄比亚北部海拔2，600米的岩石高原上，动用2万人工，花了24年的时间凿出了11座岩石教堂，人们将这里称为拉利贝拉教堂。
从此，拉利贝拉成为埃塞俄比亚人的圣地。每年1月7日埃塞俄比亚圣诞节，信徒们都将汇集于此。
拉利贝拉曾在公元13～18世纪是埃塞俄比亚的文明中心。由于这些东正教堂的建筑精妙绝伦，1521～1525年间，当第一个欧洲人来到这里时，不禁惊叹：“这简直就是新耶路撒冷！”
Lalibela Churches Groups 拉利贝拉的教堂群
In the Lalibela churches， there are two main groups connected with underground passages. The church built in the city of Lalibela became a religious center. It is easily from the road or air to Lalibela. As Ethiopia in summer rainstorm， the builders of the churches were digging the foundations on slopes. This will make rain water flow away， to avoid the threat of flooding.
In Lalibela’s churches， most notably thing is the church of Jesus Christ， it is 33 meters long， 23 meters wide， 11 meters high， carved cornices supported by the 34 square columns. This is Ethiopia’s only five naves of the church. According to the 16th century the Portuguese embassy sent to the court of Solomon Father Francisco Alvarez Godfather said that the past has five Axum Cathedral naves. Church of St. Joe Han is the only Lalibela churches with hewn cross.
The nearby Church of Jesus Christ is smaller than the church of Santa Maria， height of nine meters. Windows on the wall is Axum style， there are three churches in the Temple， on behalf of them from top to bottom are covered with decorative geometric patterns and animal drawings， according to the Gospel of Jesus and Mary painted mural scenes of life， but most have been damaged.
In addition， above the main door is a painted of two riders killing a dragon. According to King Lalibela， Jesus Christ was touched the pillar， and humankind’s past and future were intended to be carved on this pillar， so it must be covered to avoid being secular people see， bringing scourge.
在拉利贝拉有两处主要的教堂群，这些教堂凭借地下通道相互连接。这些教堂的建成使拉利贝拉城成了一个宗教中心。从公路或空中都很容易到达拉利贝拉。由于埃塞俄比亚夏季多暴雨，教堂的建造者们把地基开凿在斜坡上。这样可使雨水流走，避免水患的威胁。
拉利贝拉的教堂中，最引人注目的是耶稣基督教堂，它长33米，宽23米，高11米，精雕细刻的飞檐由34根方柱支撑。这是埃塞俄比亚唯一的有五个中殿的教堂，据16世纪葡萄牙使馆派往所罗门宫廷的神父弗朗西斯科·阿尔瓦雷斯教父说，过去的阿克苏姆大教堂也有五个中殿。圣乔汉教堂是拉利贝拉唯一被凿成十字架的教堂。
相邻的圣玛丽亚教堂比耶稣基督教堂的面积小些，高度为9米。墙上的窗户为阿克苏姆风格，里面有3个中殿，它们从上到下都覆盖着代表几何图案和动物的装饰性绘画及按福音书描绘耶稣和玛丽亚生活场景的壁画，但大多已损坏。
另外，主门之上是一个描绘两个骑手杀死一条龙的浅浮雕。根据国王拉利贝拉的说法：耶稣基督曾在这里触摸过这根柱子，而且人类的过去和未来都被刻写在这根柱子上，所以它必须被遮住，以免被世俗人看到，带来祸端。
The Fine Cutting Project 精细的开凿工程
Lalibela has 11 medieval churches and chapels. The churches are located in a huge pit of the rock， barely above the ground. The churches were cut from hard rock formed like the huge carved sculptures.
Their appearance is amazing， with unique interior decoration. Four of which are drilled in the block of stone， and the rest will have to be smaller， or with half a stone hewn， or dug in the ground， on the rocks with carved stand for believers mark its location.
Each group is surrounded by a fence of some kind of organic whole， in which visitors can be drilled along the travertine on the trail and the tunnel network roaming around.
Monolithic church， standing in the 7 to 12 meters of the deep well-like central， it channel is deep groove in the other parts of the plateau with isolated directly carved out of rock. Carved started from the top， the Ministry has continued in the end.
In order to affect the region’s heavy rainfall in summer can be smooth to drain in this way to create space for the plane was slightly skewed. Prominent part of the building， such as roofs， gutters， cornices， lintels and sills of prominence seen as the main direction of water determined.
Excavation work is clearly in several stages， some people responsible for the cut monolithic， separate it from surrounding rocks， some people are not responsible for the production outside the shape， with a small ax and a chisel for detail processing.
拉利贝拉有11个中世纪的教堂和小教堂，这些教堂坐落在岩石的巨大深坑中，几乎没有高出地平面。精雕细琢的教堂像庞大的雕塑，从坚硬的岩石中开凿而成。
它们外观造型惊人，内部装修独特。其中四个是在整块石头上开凿的，其余的则要小些，要么用半块石头凿成，要么开凿在地下，用雕刻在岩石上的立面向信徒标示其位置。
每个群体都是一个由某种围墙围绕着的有机整体，游客在里面可沿着在石灰岩上开凿的小径和隧道网四处漫游。
独石教堂矗立在7～12米深的井状通道的中央，是在由深沟将高原的其他部分与之分离出来的岩石上直接雕刻出来的。雕刻自顶部开始，一直延续到底部。
为了使夏季影响这一地区的滂沱大雨能通畅地排掉，用这种方法创造的空间平面呈轻度倾斜状。建筑物的突出部分，如屋顶、檐沟、飞檐、过梁和窗台的突出程度视雨水的主要方向而定。
开凿工程显然分几个阶段进行，一些人负责开凿独石，将它与周围岩石分离，另外一些人则负责制作成型，用小斧和凿子进行细部加工。
The Great Religious Ceremonies 盛大的宗教祭典
As a total of ceremonies held for three days straight， “De Mukado” is the largest religious activities in Ethiopian highlands. During the period， the sermon will be packed with thousands of people listening to the priest.
Those youth who participate in “De Mukado” festival have to dress up to come participate. In the girls whispered praying， they are holding hands with God， followed adults to enter the cabin. It is also overnight here， so devout prayer.
When the church bell sounded at dawn， the monks began preaching on the tour. Being ordained by the priests sprinkled holy water to the presence of everyone.
In the ensuing festival， one known as “Da Puerto”， the wood was called the Ten Commandments from the church， a symbol of where Moses received the Ten Commandments from Christ. In the central of board， there’s a saint surrender dragon picture. Finally， the wood of Ten Commandments should be placed in the wood cabin in square.
“德姆卡多”祭典一共要连续举行三天，是埃塞俄比亚高原上最大的宗教性活动。活动期间，拉利贝拉岩石教堂周围的岩壁上挤满了成千上万听祭司说教的人群。
凡是参加“德姆卡多”祭典的少年们，都必须盛装打扮地来参加。在少女们的低声祈祝中，他们双手捧着神具，跟随着大人进入设在广场上的小木屋里。人们还夜宿于此，做虔诚的祈祷。
每当教堂的晨钟在黎明时分响起时，修道士们就开始对巡礼者说教。由祭司将祝圣过的圣水分洒给在场的每一个人。
在随后的祭祀活动上，一个称为“达玻多”的十诫木板从教堂里面运出，象征着摩西从耶稣那儿得到了十诫。在木板的中央，还有一幅圣徒降服巨龙的图画。最后，这个十诫木板要被安置在广场上搭建的小木屋里。
