![]() |
Faces of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
To look at it today, one can’t help but imagine how people
even survived just as recently as ten years ago. Roads that were just patches
of asphalt every few meters have become 8 –lane highways (Bole to Megenagna is
a good example. Anyone that can remember that thin, puny asphalt road will know
what I am talking about. Another example is the 22 Mazoria to Bole Holy Savior of
the World Church where cars passed one another so closely one could actually
hear, and partake in, conversations in the other car.) Today, the great Bole
Road, Addis Ababa’s equivalent to the “Main Street” of many metropolitan cities
around the world, is being plowed again to make more room for more traffic, to embrace
a new flyover and to even be the launching ground for Ethiopia’s first ever
metro service.
![]() |
Bole Road under construction |
One other thing about Addis Ababa that is changing rapidly
is the skyline. I personally remember when we used to make appointments to meet
friends near some “addisu hintsa” or “new building”. Today, it would make no
sense as there is a new building going up at almost every 300 meter intervals.
But, as this city slowly wakes up from a slumber of a
hundred years, there are some amazing facts about Addis that few people
realize. Below are just a handful that I have been able to find out doing some
basic research, and hope that others will add to it too.
·
We are
all from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: While most people might have read about
Lucy and Selam (mentioned below), a little known fact is that Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia, the capital city itself,
could actually be the point of origin of the human species. The whole world was
convinced that since most of the fossils and skeletons were found in the Afar
region the origin of mankind too was somewhere in the northeast of Ethiopia.
But, recent
studies in DNA1 have actually shown that mankind in fact came
from somewhere a little more southern than there, somewhere around Addis
Ababa2. In one study DNA taken from approximately 1,000 people
showed that as one went further away from the city, the genetic variety
declined rapidly and thus also enabled a drawing of the map that shows how man
migrated out of Africa.
·
Home to
Lucy and Selam and MORE: Everyone knows or has heard about the fact that
Ethiopia is the birthplace of mankind. Skeletons have been, and continue to be,
found in the Afar region of Ethiopia and all the way south of the country along
the East African Rift Valley. The skeletons of Lucy (Australopithecus
afarensis) discovered in 1974 and estimated to have lived
3.2 million years ago and her “daughter” Selam (also Australopithecus
afarensis) who had died at just three years old, but also
lived 3.3 million years ago (approximately 500,000 years before Lucy) were
discovered in Ethiopia and can be seen on display at the National Museum in
Addis Ababa.
![]() |
A reconstruction of Selam (an Australopithecus afarensis child) |
·
The
highest city in Africa: Addis Ababa Ethiopia, lies at a height of 2,300
meters above sea level. Although the city has now spread vastly, its lowest
point, around Bole International Airport is at 2326 meters above sea level
while its highest point is the Entoto Mountain, at 3,000 meters the birthplace
of the city when Empress Etegue Taitu Bitul chose the spot for her husband
Emperor Menilik II in 1886.
·
The First
Royal Hotel: As mentioned above, Empress Taitu was the main reason that
Addis Ababa was able to become the capital city of Ethiopia. Before 1906 there
was no such thing as a hotel in Ethiopia. It was considered a shameful act to
accept money from a person that had dined at ones table, let alone to make a
business of it.
![]() |
Itegue Taitu Hotel, Addis Ababa |
But that didn’t stop the Empress from
going ahead, sharing her husband’s love for modernization, and opening the
first hotel owned by an African empress, “The Etegue Taitu Hotel” in 1906. When
she couldn’t find any clients to come and dine at her hotel, the wise Empress
convinced the emperor to make it a point to bring back his ministers for
refreshing meals and drinks after meetings and pay their tab. In Ethiopian
custom, when one has settled a tab inviting someone else, the invitee will take
offence if he doesn’t take care of the bill the next time round. Thus, the
business took off when the ministers started bending backwards to have the
honor of paying for the emperor and then for their peers. Once the general
population saw that going into hotels was “ok-ed” by the royals and the ministers the custom of
going into hotels became more acceptable.
The hotel is still open to
customers today and is doing a thriving business.
·
The
Capital of Africa: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is known as the capital of Africa.
This is due to the large number of embassies and global delegations that are present
in the city. It is also home to Africa’s largest governing body the African
Union (AU) and the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for
Africa (UNECA). This has made the city a place where people from different
races, religions and backgrounds rub shoulders without an eyebrow being raised.
![]() |
African Union HQ Addis Ababa in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
·
Addis
Ababa Fistula Hospital: This hospital is the only one in the world that is
dedicated to the care of women that are affected by this illness. Established
in 1974, by a New Zealand and Australian obstetrician/gynecologist couple Drs. Reginald
and Catherine Hamlin, the hospital still saves women from the pain, shame and ostracization
and has an impressive 90% success rate.
![]() |
Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Ethiopia |
·
Home to
the Federation of African Societies of Chemistry (FASC): This federation was established and is headquartered, in
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2006 to enable the concentration of all the African knowledge
and talent in the field of chemistry and finding a way to use it to help in the
development of continent.
·
Home to
the Largest Open Air Market: They say that no one will come back empty-handed
from Merkato, the largest open air market in Africa. Everything from secondhand
nails and bolts to spare parts for the largest machineries can be found there.
I am yet to find a person who knows more than just a few pockets of this huge
maze in the capital city.
![]() |
Girls in a typical Merkato spices shop, Addis Ababa Ethiopia |
As the city continues I’m sure there will be more “firsts”
and other amazing facts to add to this list. Any new comments or
recommendations are very welcome.
Sources:
1 - Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/21/AR2008022102739.html?hpid=moreheadlines
2 - Star Tribune: http://www.startribune.com/world/15860017.html
Pictures courtesy of:
Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital: http://hamlinfistula.org
Addis Ababa Online: http://addisababaonline.com
Wikipedia: http://www.wikipedia.com
Sources:
1 - Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/21/AR2008022102739.html?hpid=moreheadlines
2 - Star Tribune: http://www.startribune.com/world/15860017.html
Pictures courtesy of:
Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital: http://hamlinfistula.org
Addis Ababa Online: http://addisababaonline.com
Wikipedia: http://www.wikipedia.com
I saw pictures of workers from the public roads and highways laying down asphalt for roads. It is a sign of progress as it will sustain commercial development.
ReplyDeleteAddis Ababa is one of the best places for travelling in Ethiopia. Your article is very interesting and I liked your way to share your wonderful experience here. If anyone looking for the affordable ethiopia vacation & holiday packages, Contact us.
ReplyDeleteWe are the best Write My Essay 24/7 Services company providing law Write My Essay for Me Cheap as our articles are unmatched and comparable to none since our professional writers understand requirements for completing this type of assignment.
ReplyDelete