Aksum
The Aksumite royal centre preserves monumental stelae, elite tombs, palace foundations, inscriptions, and long-lived sacred traditions.
Photo: Jim Williams · CC BY-SA 3.0 igo
- Country
- Ethiopia
- Region
- Tigray
- Civilisation
- Aksumite
- Period
- 1st–8th centuries CE
- UNESCO
- World Heritage ↗
Through time
The story
Axum, also spelled Aksum, is a town in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia with a population of 66,900 residents (as of 2015). It is the site of the historic capital of the Aksumite Empire.
Axum is located in the Central Zone of the Tigray Region, near the base of the Adwa mountains. It has an elevation of 2,131 metres (6,991 feet) and is surrounded by La'ilay Maychew, a separately administered woreda of the Tigray region.
In 1980, UNESCO added Axum's archaeological sites to its list of World Heritage Sites due to their historic value. Prior to the beginning of the Tigray War in 2020, Axum was a leading tourist destination for foreign visitors.
Adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
What you will see
- Northern Stelae Park
- Tomb of the False Door
- Dungur palace
Before you go
- Check opening hours and ticket rules shortly before your visit — they change seasonally.
- Plan for the heat. Most ancient sites have little shade; go early or late.
- Respect the barriers. Fragile surfaces are protected for the next visitors.
Discoveries from Aksum
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