A 13th-century church that was carved from volcanic rock stands inside a deep pit in the earth — take a closer look  – INSIDER 10:38

Melissa Wells 

Jul 20, 2023, 10:26 AM EDT

This is an aerial shot of the Church of St. George, which is sunken into a square pit and is in the shape of a Greek cross.
An aerial shot of the top of the Church of St. George. 

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Hewn from red volcanic rock and standing in a deep pit, this centuries-old monument is one of the world’s most unique medieval churches.

According to The New York Times, Muslim conquests in 13th-century Africa had halted Christian pilgrimages to the Holy Land, leaving many people unable to make the treacherous journey to Jerusalem. Ethiopian King Lalibela, who reigned from around 1181 to 1221 AD, saw an opportunity, envisioning a “New Jerusalem” where Christians could make the pilgrimage, hidden from Muslims invading from the North.

Under his directive, a group of 11 monolithic structures were chiseled out of the nearby red volcanic hills. The final church, however, has been heralded by travel guides as the most impressive, captivating the attention of Coptic Christians for centuries.

Take a closer look at this incredible structure, known as the Church of St. George.

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Hidden in the Horn of Africa, a lichen-covered monument called the Church of St. George is heralded by travel guides as the pinnacle of monolithic religious architecture.

A world map depicting Africa with a red icon for the Church of St. George.
The location of the Church of St. George in Lalibela, Ethiopia. 

Source: CNN, The Guardian

The church, located in a small village in the Lasta mountains of Ethiopia, is one of the UNESCO-protected Rock-Hewn Churches and a World Heritage Site.

Aerial shot of a building shaped like a cross surrounded by greenery.
An aerial shot of the Church of St. George in the Lasta Mountains of Ethiopia. 

Source: Travel Weekly, UNESCO

The Church of St. George was dedicated to Ethiopia’s patron saint and took 23 years to complete. It stands 40 feet tall.

Picture of red stone building mottled with yellow moss.
The Church of Saint George, one of many churches hewn into the rocky hills of Lalibela, Ethiopia. 

Source: Vogue, Atlas Obscura

According to local legend, thousands of laborers worked on the architecture by day, but their work was continued by angels at night.

Side aerial view of the top of a crucifix-shaped building
Aerial side view of Church of St. George. 

Source: Vogue

Unlike the area’s other 10 interconnected churches, the Church of St. George is freestanding inside a square pit.

A photo taken from above shows three nested Greek crosses cut into the church's flat roof.
An aerial shot of the pit and the top of the Church of St. George. 

To enter the structure, visitors and worshippers take stone steps down into the pit where the church stands. Chiseled-out tunnels lead to a labyrinth system of trenches.

A shadow over a set of stone steps with a single person sitting on the side of them.
Stone steps leading down into the Church of St. George in Lalibela, Ethiopia. 

Source: Britannica

The church’s interior is dimly lit by high windows and candles. It is considered sacred, containing Bibles, holy water, and devotees.

A building with yellow moss on the sides.
Upward view of the high windows of the Church of St. George in Lalibela, Ethiopia. 

Source: The Guardian

Near the churches, a village features homes known as Lasta Tukuls or two-story round houses constructed of the local red stone. It is home to about 20,000 people, including a community of priests and monks.

Structures and trees in the small village of Lalibela, Ethiopia, which is home to sunken churches.
The small village of Lalibela, Ethiopia. 

Source: Britannica, CNN

The site welcomes thousands of pilgrims that arrive to celebrate events of the Ethiopian Christian calendar.

Worshippers in white seen around the top of the building.
Worshippers in white dance around the Church of St. George. 

Source: Britannica