2 September 2020
By Staff Reporter
Located in the northern shore of Lake Tana, 60km southwest of Gondar, Gorgora is one of the oldest town and peninsula in northwestern Ethiopia.
The town is known for its cultural, historical and natural blessings. It has a rich history that goes back over many centuries. A monastery with 300 year old original paintings, mysteries monasteries, the abundance of fauna and flora species including the mind-blowing glamorous bird species such as the white pelicans are the blessings of the area.
The town once served as one of the early capitals of Ethiopia during the reigns of Emperor Susenyos-I and his son Fasilides before Fasilides founded Gondar.
As documents indicate, the city is named after the 4th century Saint and Church Father Gregory the Illuminator, who is a prominent figure in Ethiopian Orthodox Theology.
According to Endashaw Setegne, a tour guide and member of ‘Tana Tour Association’, Gorgora is a town established in medieval times. The town is endowed with a number of tourist attractions. The town is known for its remarkable landscape, the ancient religious, historical and cultural heritages, the flora and fauna existing within and the surrounding areas along with its old age monasteries.
Gorgora is also known for one of the oldest churches, Debre Sina Church built in 1608 by King Fasiledes, and its many monasteries including the Angara Takla-Hyamanot, Mandaba Medhane Alem, Debre Gelila Iyesus and Jebera Mariam, and buildings such as the palace of the Emperor Susenyos located nearby, the Portuguese Cathedral, plus Gorgora Nova the royal camp of King Susneyos.
Not only that but the Monument of Mussolini which was built by Italian fascists to control the movements of the Ethiopian patriots from all direction is also the other historic heritage of the town. As to him, the Fascist Italian invaders while they were in the area for a short period of time had been conducting various activities including the construction of military bases to strengthen their military power. And the tower-the Monument of Mussolini-which is estimated to be around 20 meter high was built by the Fascist Italian invaders to serve as a commanding tower.
According to him, the Monument has two images carved on the structure. The first picture shows a dying lion of Abyssinia with the Latin ‘Usque ad Finem’, meaning ‘To the very end’- to depict the end of the Ethiopian government.
The second picture shows Romulus and Remus (the twin brothers whose story goes as the legendary founders of Rome) suckling the she-wolf (the symbol of imperial Rome). On the Monument, there is the phrase ‘Roma Imperat’, which is loosely translated to ‘Rome Rules’ even if their dream turned out to be a nightmare and kicked out by the Ethiopian patriots who fought bravely to free Ethiopia from the hands of the Fascist Italy invaders.
Gorgora though has plenty of cultural, historical and natural attractions; the number of its visitors is not at the desired level, Endashaw said despondently.
Among the three destinations that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has set plan to develop in the coming years, Gorgora is the one.
By the same token, Athlete Haile Gebreselassie also announced a plan to build the first of its kind resort and recreational center in Gorgora. The envisioned resort, which is going to be built at 10 hectares of land, will have a resort, recreational center, artificial seashore and villa houses that meet international standards.
In an interview he held with Reporter Newspaper, Haile said that Gorgora is an enigmatic bliss. The clean, deep water is suitable for swimming, boat trip and other similar water games.
As Endashaw uttered, for the past 35 years, the town has been overlooked and did not grow in accordance with its socio-economic significance. Due to this, the tourist flow was not at the desired level. Thus, the community could not gain significant income from the attractions. However, the new project initiated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to develop Gorgora Town can considerably yield the desired outcome; and benefit the surrounding community as well as the country when it is completed, he opined.
Herald September 2, 2020