Chapter Four

Traditional and Modern

Architecture
Traditional Housing in Ethiopia
☞ Ethiopia has well-established traditional technology
for the construction of dwellings.
☞ Houses built with this technology may adopt both
circular and rectangular shape.
☞ In Ethiopia the circular shaped house is most
commonly known as the traditional method.
☞ There is a difference between the two shape types,
namely the material of the roof construction.
☞ The roofs with conical shape are normally thatched but
rectangular dwelling roofs are today usually made of
corrugated iron sheets.
☞ When building a traditional dwelling usually no
particular ground or foundation work is performed.
Traditional Housing in Ethiopia
☞ The wall construction is founded on a wooden basis
covered with clay. The wooden basis can be divided in
two parts, the frame and the coverage.
☞ The frame consists of supporting poles, if possible of
sustainable wood, recognizable by its red colour.
☞ To stabilize the poles they are buried into the ground and
supported by adjacent stones.
☞ Between the main poles the coverage is placed as a grid,
these are often made of non-well-resistant timber. To
surface this wooden layer adds a layer of clay.
☞ To protect the structure against water among others
finishes as limestone plastering can be used.
☞ Everyone knows and can build with the traditional
technology, but there are following problems that cannot
be ignored:
Running Out of Sustainable Timber
☞ Sustainable timber is required when building with the
traditional technology.
☞ Since the deforestation sufficient durable timber is
expensive and difficult to obtain.
☞ Despite this problem people continue to build their homes
with the well-known technology.
☞ Non-resistant wood as the fast-growing eucalyptus is
used instead and therefore the buildings may not keep
the same durability as intended.
☞ For those with money sustainable timber are transported
long distances and a reasonably sustainability may be
achieved.
 Termites
☞ Termites is a kind of ant which live in darkness. They
feed on cellulose, which is why a wood structure through
their eyes is a huge meal.
☞ Since dwellings built with the traditional technology have
wooden poles buried directly into the ground they become
particularly vulnerable.
☞ There are wood species with good resistance to termites,
these do unfortunately not occur widely in Ethiopia.
☞ Instead the Ethiopian woods are dominated by the
eucalyptus with a low resistance to termites.
☞ One can impregnate the wood to overcome the termites
but these are not always effective and often toxic why it is
not an option.
 Not Durable
☞ Ethiopians often need to build with the fast-growing
tree eucalyptus, making the construction vulnerable
due to termites and poor sustainability.
☞ Even if resistant timber is used the technology shows
gaps in durability.
☞ If the technology is inadequately performed or if the
completed dwelling receives insufficient maintenance
draughty indoor climate easily occurs.
☞ The structure is thin and therefore has a quick thermal
conductivity, which means that the outdoor
temperature easily will affect the indoor temperature.
☞ Since indoor environment has a major impact on
human health and wellbeing it should be given
considerable weight.
 Early 20th c Buildings
☞ In the 19thc. Menelik was imbued with a burning ambition
to rebuild the greatness of Ethiopia and he determined to
found a capital
☞ In I878-9 Menelik decided to establish his capital at Entoto
about eight kilometres to the north of Filwoha.
☞ He thereupon established his camp in the area and gave
orders to begin rebuilding Entoto which thus became his
capital
☞ Entoto, like most other Ethiopian centres of administration of
that period, was essentially a military town and was
established on almost exactly the same pattern as the
traditional Ethiopian army camp.
☞ Immediately around the sovereign's residence clustered the
smaller establishments men of state, who received land in
return for service in peace or war.
 Early 20th c Buildings
☞ The considerable size of the army together with its train gave
the city a large population from the outset.
☞ There were, however, few permanent buildings, except for the
palace and the churches of St Mary and St Raguel.
☞ The only departures from tradition were in methods of
transportation: number of carts for carrying stones to
build the palace and churches.
☞ No sooner had the city been established than it became
obvious that its location was in many ways unsatisfactory.
Then he moved to Addis Ababa.
☞ Addis Ababa differed from Entoto and other earlier capitals in
that Menelik made far greater use of foreign skill in its
construction.
☞ Following its establishment various buildings were built in
the city including the palace of Menelik II.
 Early 20th c Buildings
☞ Addis Ababa has a considerable number of historical
buildings due to its built nature
☞ Many of the buildings made of worked stone with wooden
gables and balconies - buildings erected during the
Menilek- Iyasu- Zawditu and H/Sellasie period.
☞ This period was particularly significant from the point of view
of Addis Ababa’s development and witnessed the emergence
of new buildings
☞ The development of what historians and architects describe
as the Menilek-Zawditu style
☞ These structures reflect the level of civilization of the period.
☞ Some were residences of famous personalities that had a
major role in Ethiopian history and their architectural
designs are very unique.
☞ There is in fact nothing exactly like it anywhere in the
world.
 The birth & development of Skyscrapers
☞ The establishment of Addis Ababa as a capital city of
Ethiopia brought an end to the long period of medieval
moving capitals.
☞ It attracted large number of migrants from diverse social
groups from all corners of the country due to its centrality.
☞ Its establishment attracted many migrants, mainly from rural
areas and initiated the process of urbanization and
modernization in the history of the country.
☞ There were three main factors that conducted the city to
stay as the capital city of Ethiopia (since many cities have
been capital cities along the history of Ethiopia):
 The introduction of eucalyptus
 The proclamation for legalizing private ownership of
urban land in 1907
 The completion, mainly by the French, of the Addis
Ababa – Djibouti railway in 1917
 The birth & development of Skyscrapers
☞ Ethiopia became the seat of African Union in 1950’s and the
city of Addis Ababa was expected to reflect a modern look.
☞ To this effect, Emperor Haile Selassie used to advocate the
modern look of Addis Ababa to reflect the idea that Ethiopia
is a civilized state with a national vision.
☞ At that time it was necessary to express civilization and
modernity with trendy physical structures
☞ Gradually, Hotels, buildings, and skyscrapers, completely
transforming the city’s image to better the model of a globally
competitive city and to bring in more revenue.
☞ The mixed residential structure that began in those days was
altered by
☞the country opened up to Western civilization in the
early 20th century
☞the short-lived Italian occupation
 The birth & development of Skyscrapers
☞ Over the last three decades, a few, predominantly high-
income, residential areas have emerged, especially in the
Bole and Old Airport areas.
☞ Today, high-rise apartment and blocks dot the fronts of the
main streets in Addis Ababa, giving impression of a well-
built, spacious city.
 Historical Monuments of Addis Ababa
☞ Since the emergence of Addis Ababa as a capital city,
especially in the middle of 1890’s, it has been used as a
social, political and economic centre of Ethiopia.
☞ Addis Ababa is endowed with a number of monuments or
statues that stand at different parts of the city
commemorating different important events or
personalities.
☞ Most of the monuments that are found in the capital are
in dedication to the war between Ethiopia and the
Italian forces.
☞ In relation to the Ethio-Italian force
☞ the monuments are erected for the commemoration of the
peoples of Ethiopia who sought their lives for their
country’s freedom, and also for a lot of citizens of Ethiopia
who were parts of the mass murder of the fascist force.
 1. Abune Petros Square
☞ Abune Petros was the Ethiopian Orthodox Bishop of Wello
who was one of the four first native Ethiopians who were
anointed as bishops by the Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria.
☞ When Fascist armies of Benito Mussolini occupied much of
Ethiopia, Abune Petros travelled to the northern Shewan
district of Menz to join resistance leaders to plan an attack
on the Italians to drive them out of Addis Ababa.
☞ The attack failed in 1937, and the Bishop was captured.
Defiantly refusing to submit to Italian rule, he was
condemned to death.
☞ Shortly before his execution Abune Petros Bishop of Wello,
dressed in his clerical robes, held up his hand cross and
pronounced his curse on the people and on the very earth
of Ethiopia itself, if they were ever to submit to the
invader.
☞ He was then shot to death in front of a horrified audience.
 Abune Petros Square
☞ Emperor Haile Selassie had the statue erected in the memory
of this great Bishop upon his restoration.
☞ The spot of his execution on the western edge of this square
is also marked by a memorial slab.
 The Yekatit 12 Square (Sidist Kilo)
monument
☞ This monument stands in tribute to the thousands of
innocent sacrifices butchered by the Fascist Italian
Occupiers on that date in 1929 (1936).
☞ The massacre took place at the order of the Italian Vice-
Roy Marshal Grazziani in response to an assassination
attempt against him carried out by two pro- Ethiopia
Eritreans.
☞ The monument is shown here during a religious
procession of priests of the Orthodox Church, probably at
Timkat (Epiphany).
☞ Wreaths were laid here by the Emperor to commemorate
the massacre every year.
☞ Col. Mengistu Haile Mariam continued this practice during
his rule, but for a time after the fall of the Dergue regime,
only the Mayor of Addis carried out this practice.
 Lion of Judah
☞ The Lion of Judah Monument stands in the square in front
of Addis Ababa's train station.
☞ The golden colour statue of the Lion of Judah in it's complete
glory stands on a black granite pedestal which is decorated
with relief portraits of Emperors Menelik II and Haile
Selassie I, and Empress Zewditu, as well as Ras
Makonnen.
☞ Erected in 1930 just before Emperor Haile Selassie's
coronation, it was looted by the Italian occupiers in 1935
and taken to Rome, where it was erected
☞ The monument remained in Rome for several decades, and
was finally returned to Addis Ababa after long negotiations in
the 1960's.
☞ When it was re-erected in it's square the day it arrived, the
Emperor was present in military uniform to salute, and to
pay tribute to Zerai Deres.
 Historical Monuments of Addis Ababa
☞ Following the revolution in 1974, the Dergue regime decided
to remove the statue once more as it was a monarchist
symbol.
☞ However, the elderly war veterans association members
appealed to the Dergue to consider the memory of Zerai
Deres and his sacrifice that was inspired by this very symbol.
☞ This act saved the statue and it stood it all it's Imperial glory
right through the Dergue era, and continues to stand today.
Lion of Judah
 Meyazia 27 Square
☞ Meyazia 27 Square is the official name of what is popularly
known as Arat Kilo
☞ The monument at the heart of the Square commemorates
the victory over the fascist Italian invaders, and the
struggle
☞ Meyazia 27 is both the day that Addis Ababa was occupied
by the Fascists, as well as the day that Emperor Haile
Selassie returned to his capital in triumph exactly 5 years
later.
☞ The original monument includes a relief of the Emperor
Haile Selassie holding the national flag, which was altered
during the reign of the Dergue regime into a
representation of a guerrilla fighter holding the national
flag.
☞ The EPRDF regime that deposed the Dergue restored the
Emperor's face to the monument.
 Menelik II Square
☞ Stands the imposing horse-riding statue of Emperor
Menelik II, the victor of Adawa.
☞ The statue was erected by Emperor Haile Selassie
and dedicated on the day before his coronation in 1930
☞ The square is located outside the main gates of St.
George Cathedral and is close to City Hall.
☞ Every year, on the anniversary of the victory of the
Battle of Adawa, the Emperor would lay a wreath at this
statue after attending mass at St. George Cathedral (the
victory had occurred on St. George's Day).
☞ Col. Mengistu continued laying a wreath here on the
anniversary, but did not attend the church services as
his regime was Marxist.
Functional Martyrs monuments of Ethiopia

The Oromo Peoples Martyr’s Monument

☞ The monument has two main bones (the biggest human
bones), as major elements composing the monument.
These bones stand to reflect:
☞ The Past: Deeply commemorating the martyrdom
and respecting those who lost their life in the past
struggle and learning from it.
☞ The Present: to enjoy the freedom & equality of the
whole society to help each other with love & respect
and to stand side by side in good or bad situation.
☞ Future: As we remember & learn from the past, at
present times, to hope & promise a bright future
property come in the future.
 The Oromo Peoples Martyr’s Monument
☞ The monument in general has more than above mentioned
meanings with only very few elements.
☞ The main essence of modern monument is to create a unique
and everlasting image that can draw people’s attention not
only for the time it is built on, but also in the future.
☞ It is a unique and modern which is not the imitation of
others, but an original composition which could be an
inspiration for others.
☞ Thus it is of great importance to create something that could
have the following points now and for the time to come.
☞Originality and uniqueness.
☞Deep interacting and questioning effect on the
spectators.
☞Elements of the monument to be things that the
society gives special place & meaning with respect.
 The Oromo Peoples Martyr’s Monument
☞ The main focus of the design of the complex is the
martyr’s monument “Siidaa Wareegamtoo Oromo”.
☞ This occupies the central theme and idea of the whole
project. Physically also, the monument is placed at the
centre of the whole building complex.
 The Tigrai Region Peoples Martyr’s
Monument
☞ When you enter to Mekelle, the capital city of Tigrai Regional
State, the first sight which grasps your eyes is the
magnificent Martyr’s Monument of Tigrai.
☞ This monument was built for the memory of those who
fought and paid their irreplaceable life for the good cause of
liberating the mass from the brutal dictatorial role of the Derg
regime which had lasted from 1975 to 1991.
☞ Its constitution was completed in 2005 by the Tigrai Peoples’
Liberation Front (TPLF) for the commemoration of the
dearest sons and daughters of this country, who gave their
lives for the well-being of the oppressed.
☞ This monument has four massive columns which is 31
meters high from the bottom to its peak.
☞ These columns progressively come together from the
stretched position at the lower part to uppermost and come
together to hold the golden ball at the peak.
 The Tigrai Region Peoples Martyr’s
Monument

☞ On the area which is located below the monument, there

are two grand complex buildings, the martyr’s museum
and a conference hall, and an attractive a monument
park.
☞ For someone who wants to have a wide view of Mekelle, the
above mentioned place is the most appropriate one.
☞ A short distance from the martyr’s monument to the north
side there is a museum which brings to the reality the
victory and sacrifice paid by the TPLF
☞ This museum has brought to reality of the armed struggle
which wedged against the Derg in unforgettable and
impressive way.
☞ It shows the sacrifices paid for the genuine cause of
liberating the oppressed from their graveness and suffering.
 The Amhara Region Peoples Martyr’s
Monument
☞ The Amhara Region Martyrs Monument beyond its artistic
quality and materials used in the building, each and every
part of the monument has a special meaning of its own.
☞ When visitors closely observe the monument, there are a
number of different things in it with a different symbolic
meaning.
☞ However, the generalized and symbolic meaning of each part
implies beyond what is actually built.
☞ This symbolic meaning is the strength and great hope of
martyrs during continuous and hardship conditions.
☞ Thus, the monument is memorial which stands in the name
of the martyr’s and reminds citizens of their great initiatives,
predetermined objectives and strategies to achieve hopefully.
☞ In general the martyr’s monument has a great honourable
power to remind us the ups and downs of life that the hero
martyrs have passed through.
 The Amhara Region Peoples Martyr’s
Monument
☞ In a very general manner, the building contains two main
important parts:
A.The monument
☞ Is about 40 meters high
☞ has a very symbolic and complicated meaning
☞ directly associated to the Blue Nile river and historical
bridge for it has its own implication to relate democratic
struggle of the heroes to the Universal nature of the river.
☞ is too high to be seen at a distance, to be remembered
☞ It looks like a female nature in one way and a male
structure in another direction to imply the holistic nature
of man and his great contribution
☞ The monument is black (hardship) in colour in some part,
and white (hope) colour in another.
B. The sculpture
☞ This is the second artistic nature of the building.
☞ It indicates the actual reality and the process of the
struggle, the contribution of each member of the society
for independence.
☞ The sculpture clearly symbolizes the cultural conditions
of the region.
☞ It also indicates people that expect bright future, hopeful
and winners of the battle.
Thank You!!!!