Imperial Palace Addis Ababa
Encyclopedia
The Imperial Palace is in Addis Ababa
, Ethiopia
. It is also known as Menelik Palace after its builder.
Menelik II moved his capital from mount Entoto
to Addis Ababa, he built the Imperial palace as his main residence
in 1886. Emperor Haile Selassie moved later to the Guenete Leul Palace
. But the Imperial palace remained the official seat of the emperor till his fall in 1974. After his fall, emperor Haile Selassie was imprisoned in one of the buildings of the palace and later killed here. He was buried secretly within the palace grounds. Based on some reports a latrine was built on his grave. After the fall of communism
, the emperor was reburied in 2000. The palace has remained to be the seat of government. Nowadays, the complex holds the residence of the prime minister and it is not openend to visitors.
The palace grounds contains different churches
. The most important is the Ta'eka Negest (Resting Place of Kings) Ba'eta Le Mariam Monastery
. It has a large Imperial crown at at top of the dome. The church serves as a mausoleum for emperor Menelik II, his wife Empress Taitu, and Empress Zewditu, his daughter and eventual successor. Other churches within the grounds are the Se'el Bet Kidane Meheret Church (Our Lady Covenant of Mercy) and the Debre Mengist St. Gabriel Church.
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
. It is also known as Menelik Palace after its builder.
History
When emperorEmperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
Menelik II moved his capital from mount Entoto
Mount Entoto
Mount Entoto is the highest peak overlooking the city of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Mount Entoto is part of the Entoto mountain chain, reaching 3,200 meters above sea level. It is also a historical place where Menelik II resided and built his palace, when he came from Ankober and...
to Addis Ababa, he built the Imperial palace as his main residence
Residence
The term residence may refer to:* House* Home* Nursing home* Residence in English family law, pertaining to where children should live in the case of disputes* Habitual residence, a civil law term dealing with the status of refugees, and child abduction...
in 1886. Emperor Haile Selassie moved later to the Guenete Leul Palace
Guenete Leul Palace
The Guenete Leul Palace is a palace in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The name means paradis of princes. The palace was built by emperor Haile Selassie in 1930. The emperor and his family made the palace their main residence, but the seat of government remained at the Imperial Palace...
. But the Imperial palace remained the official seat of the emperor till his fall in 1974. After his fall, emperor Haile Selassie was imprisoned in one of the buildings of the palace and later killed here. He was buried secretly within the palace grounds. Based on some reports a latrine was built on his grave. After the fall of communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, the emperor was reburied in 2000. The palace has remained to be the seat of government. Nowadays, the complex holds the residence of the prime minister and it is not openend to visitors.
The palace grounds contains different churches
Church
In the Christian religion, a church building is a building or structure whose primary purpose is to facilitate the meeting of a church. Originally, Jewish Christians met in synagogues, such as the Cenacle, and in one another's homes, known as house churches...
. The most important is the Ta'eka Negest (Resting Place of Kings) Ba'eta Le Mariam Monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
. It has a large Imperial crown at at top of the dome. The church serves as a mausoleum for emperor Menelik II, his wife Empress Taitu, and Empress Zewditu, his daughter and eventual successor. Other churches within the grounds are the Se'el Bet Kidane Meheret Church (Our Lady Covenant of Mercy) and the Debre Mengist St. Gabriel Church.