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The New Flower

Addis Ababa architecture

Addis Ababa, whose name means 'New Flower' in Amharic, is Africa's diplomatic capital — home to the African Union headquarters and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. At 2,355 meters above sea level, it is one of the world's highest capital cities. Ethiopia is one of the only African nations never colonized by a European power (with the exception of a brief Italian occupation from 1936–1941), a source of immense national pride. The city is also the gateway to one of the world's oldest Christian civilizations and the ancient rock-hewn churches of Lalibela.

  • 5Landmarks
  • 0Oldest · Mount Entoto
  • 100 mTallest · African Union headquarters building
  • 5Architects

Before you go

  • Fly intoAddis Ababa Bole International Airport (ADD)

    Addis Ababa Bole International Airport is Africa's second-busiest airport and the main hub for Ethiopian Airlines, consistently ranked as the continent's best airline. A major terminal expansion project completed in 2019 dramatically increased the airport's capacity and quality. Ethiopian Airlines uses Addis as a connecting hub between Europe, Asia, and the rest of Africa, making Bole one of the most important aviation crossroads in the world.

  • CurrencyEthiopian Birr (Br)
  • LanguageAmharic

    Amharic is Ethiopia's official working language and is written in the Ge'ez script (Ethiopic), one of the world's few original writing systems still in active use. Ethiopia is home to over 80 languages across its many ethnic groups, with Oromo, Tigrinya, and Somali also widely spoken. English is taught in schools and is used in higher education and government. Coffee originated in Ethiopia — the word 'coffee' itself traces back to the Ethiopian region of Kaffa — and the traditional coffee ceremony is a central part of social culture.

  • Getting aroundLRT & Minibuses

    Addis Ababa operates Africa's first modern Light Rail Transit (LRT) system, which opened in 2015 with Chinese engineering support. Two lines cross the city center in a north-south and east-west pattern. Blue and white minibuses (called 'blue donkeys' by locals) are the main public transport for most residents, supplemented by taxis and increasingly by ride-hailing services. The city is expanding rapidly and traffic congestion is a growing challenge.

5 landmarks in Addis Ababa

  1. Holy Trinity Cathedral (Addis Ababa)
    Photo: Gize12, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Holy Trinity Cathedral (Addis Ababa)

    Arat Kilo, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Ethiopia's holiest Orthodox Christian cathedral, built to celebrate liberation from Italian occupation — the burial place of Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen.

    Built
    1941
    Architect
    Various Ethiopian architects
    Style
    Ethiopian Baroque
    Height
    18 m (59 ft)
    Stories
    2
    Today
    Cathedral (active) / burial site
  2. National Museum of Ethiopia
    Photo: Ninaras, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    National Museum of Ethiopia

    King George VI St, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Home to the fossilised remains of Lucy (Australopithecus afarensis), the 3.2-million-year-old hominin skeleton that transformed our understanding of human evolution.

    Built
    1936
    Architect
    Various
    Style
    Colonial / modernist
    Height
    10 m (33 ft)
    Stories
    3
    Today
    Museum (active)

  3. African Union headquarters building

    Roosevelt St, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    The 20-storey headquarters of the African Union, a gift from China to Africa completed in 2012, hosting the continent's most important diplomatic forum.

    Built
    2012
    Architect
    China State Construction Engineering Corporation
    Style
    Contemporary
    Height
    100 m (328 ft)
    Stories
    20
    Today
    International organization HQ

  4. Red Terror Martyrs' Memorial Museum

    Meskel Square, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    A sobering museum documenting the Red Terror — the mass killings carried out by the Derg military junta between 1977 and 1978, in which up to 750,000 Ethiopians were killed.

    Built
    2010
    Architect
    Various
    Style
    Contemporary
    Height
    8 m (26 ft)
    Stories
    2
    Today
    Memorial museum

  5. Mount Entoto

    Entoto Natural Park, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    The forested mountain ridge at 3,200m overlooking Addis Ababa where Emperor Menelik II established his capital in the 1880s, now home to ancient churches and panoramic views.

    Built
    0
    Architect
    N/A (natural mountain)
    Style
    Natural / Ethiopian Orthodox churches
    Stories
    1
    Today
    Nature park / viewpoint

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