Gondar: Difference between revisions
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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}} |
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2018}} |
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{{Infobox settlement |
{{Infobox settlement |
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| official_name = Gondar |
| official_name = Gondar |
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| native_name = |
| native_name = |
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| native_name_lang = am |
| native_name_lang = am |
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| other_name = Gonder |
| other_name = Gonder |
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| settlement_type = City and [[Districts of Ethiopia|woreda]] |
| settlement_type = City and [[Districts of Ethiopia|woreda]] |
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| image_skyline = {{multiple image |
| image_skyline = {{multiple image |
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| border = infobox |
| border = infobox |
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| total_width = 295 |
| total_width = 295 |
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| perrow = 1/2/2/1 |
| perrow = 1/2/2/1 |
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| image1 = ET Gondar asv2018-02 img51 Goha Hotel hill (cropped).jpg |
| image1 = ET Gondar asv2018-02 img51 Goha Hotel hill (cropped).jpg |
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| image2 = |
| image2 = Mentewab's Castle.jpg |
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| image3 = |
| image3 = Chancellery of Yohannes I 03.jpg |
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| image4 = |
| image4 = Fasilides Bath 06 (cropped).jpg |
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| image5 = Fasilides Palace 01.jpg |
| image5 = Fasilides Palace 01.jpg |
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| image6 = Church of Debra Berhan Selassie 01 (cropped).jpg |
| image6 = Church of Debra Berhan Selassie 01 (cropped).jpg |
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}} |
}} |
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| imagesize = |
| imagesize = |
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| image_caption = From top, left to right: View of Gondar; |
| image_caption = From top, left to right: View of Gondar; [[Mentewab|Mentewab's Castle]]; Chancellery of [[Yohannes I]]; Fasilides Bath; [[Fasil Ghebbi|Enqualal Gemb]]; and [[Debre Berhan Selassie]] Church |
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| pushpin_map = Ethiopia#Horn of Africa#Africa |
| pushpin_map = Ethiopia#Horn of Africa#Africa |
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| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ethiopia##Location within the Horn of Africa##Location within Africa |
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ethiopia##Location within the Horn of Africa##Location within Africa |
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| pushpin_relief = |
| pushpin_relief = |
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| coordinates = {{coord|12|36|27|N|37|27|33|E|region:ET-AM|display=inline,title}} |
| coordinates = {{coord|12|36|27|N|37|27|33|E|region:ET-AM|display=inline,title}} |
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| subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]] |
| subdivision_type = [[Countries of the world|Country]] |
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| subdivision_name = {{flag|Ethiopia}} |
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Ethiopia}} |
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| subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of Ethiopia|Region]] |
| subdivision_type1 = [[Regions of Ethiopia|Region]] |
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| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Amhara|Region}} |
| subdivision_name1 = {{flag|Amhara|Region}} |
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| subdivision_type2 = [[List of zones of Ethiopia|Zone]] |
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of zones of Ethiopia|Zone]] |
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| subdivision_name2 = [[North Gondar Zone|North Gondar]] |
| subdivision_name2 = [[North Gondar Zone|North Gondar]] |
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| subdivision_type3 = [[Districts of Ethiopia|Woreda]] |
| subdivision_type3 = [[Districts of Ethiopia|Woreda]] |
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| subdivision_name3 = |
| subdivision_name3 = |
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| established_title = Founded |
| established_title = Founded |
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| established_date = |
| established_date = 1636 |
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| founder = |
| founder = [[Fasilides]] |
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| area_total_km2 = 192.27 |
| area_total_km2 = 192.27 |
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| elevation_footnotes = |
| elevation_footnotes = |
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| elevation_m = 2,133 |
| elevation_m = 2,133 |
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| population_total = 207,044 |
| population_total = 207,044 |
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| population_as_of = 2007 |
| population_as_of = 2007 |
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| population_footnotes = <ref name="CSA 2007" /> |
| population_footnotes = <ref name="CSA 2007" /> |
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| population_density_km2 = auto |
| population_density_km2 = auto |
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| area_code = |
| area_code = |
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| website = |
| website = |
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| footnotes = |
| footnotes = |
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| timezone = [[East Africa Time|EAT]] |
| timezone = [[East Africa Time|EAT]] |
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| utc_offset = +3 |
| utc_offset = +3 |
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| population_est = |
| population_est = 443156 |
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| pop_est_as_of = |
| pop_est_as_of = 2021 |
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| pop_est_footnotes = <ref name=" |
| pop_est_footnotes = <ref name="2021Pop">{{Cite web |date=2021 |title=Population Projection Towns as of July 2021 |url=https://www.statsethiopia.gov.et/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Population-of-Towns-as-of-July-2021.pdf |access-date=31 May 2022 |website=Ethiopian Statistics Agency}}</ref> |
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| name = Gonder |
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}} |
}} |
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'''Gondar''', also spelled '''Gonder''' ([[Amharic language|Amharic]]: ጎንደር, ''Gonder''{{efn|Based on the [[BGN/PCGN romanization]] of Amharic.}} or ''Gondär'';{{efn|Based on the [[EAE romanization]] of Amharic.}} formerly {{lang|gez|ጐንደር}}, ''Gʷandar'' or ''Gʷender''), is a city and [[Districts of Ethiopia|woreda]] in |
'''Gondar''', also spelled '''Gonder''' ([[Amharic language|Amharic]]: ጎንደር, ''Gonder''{{efn|Based on the [[BGN/PCGN romanization]] of Amharic.}} or ''Gondär'';{{efn|Based on the [[EAE romanization]] of Amharic.}} formerly {{lang|gez|ጐንደር}}, ''Gʷandar'' or ''Gʷender''), is a city and [[Districts of Ethiopia|woreda]] in Ethiopia. Located in the [[North Gondar Zone]] of the [[Amhara Region]], Gondar is north of [[Lake Tana]] on the [[Lesser Angereb River]] and southwest of the [[Simien Mountains]]. {{As of|2021}}, Gondar has an estimated population of 443,156.<ref name="2021Pop" /> |
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Gondar previously served as the capital of both the [[Ethiopian Empire]] and the subsequent [[Begemder|Begemder Province]]. The city holds the remains of several royal castles, including those in the [[Fasil Ghebbi]] [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]] for which Gondar has been called the "Camelot of Africa".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101214215247/http://bjtoursandtrekking.com/tours/index.htm http://bjtoursandtrekking.com/tours/index.htm] Gondar World Heritage Site</ref> |
Gondar previously served as the capital of both the [[Ethiopian Empire]] and the subsequent [[Begemder|Begemder Province]]. The city holds the remains of several royal castles, including those in the [[Fasil Ghebbi]] [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]] for which Gondar has been called the "Camelot of Africa".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101214215247/http://bjtoursandtrekking.com/tours/index.htm http://bjtoursandtrekking.com/tours/index.htm] Gondar World Heritage Site</ref> |
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==History== |
== History == |
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{{Main article|History of Gondar}} |
{{Main article|History of Gondar}} |
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{{More citations needed section|date=August 2020}} |
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=== Origins === |
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[[File:Fasilides Palace 02.jpg|thumb|[[Fasil Ghebbi|Fasilides Castle]], founded by Emperor [[Fasilides of Ethiopia|Fasilides]]]] |
[[File:Fasilides Palace 02.jpg|thumb|[[Fasil Ghebbi|Fasilides Castle]], founded by Emperor [[Fasilides of Ethiopia|Fasilides]]]] |
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Gondar was founded by Emperor [[Fasilides of Ethiopia|Fasilides]] around the year 1635, and grew as an agricultural and market town. There was a superstition at the time that the capital's name should begin with the letter 'Gʷa' (modern pronunciation 'Gʷe'; Gonder was originally spelt Gʷandar), which also contributed to [[Gorgora]]'s (founded as Gʷargʷara) growth in the centuries after 1600. |
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[[Gondar]] was originally a small market town inhabited by Muslim traders and [[Beta Israel]] craftsmen. In 1635 Emperor [[Fasilides]] selected Gondar as his camp, certainly for the purpose of directly supervising the collection of customs on the Red Sea - Tana - Ennarya trade routes. This was the same reason that induced his immediate predecessors, beginning with Emperor [[Sarsa Dengel]] in the 1570s, located their capitals on Lake Tana's northeastern flank, along with a concern for safety in view of [[Oromo people|Oromo]] conquests in the central highlands. Situated about 35 km due north of the lake in the midst of Kémant country, Gondar was on, or close to, the point at which the main caravan track from [[Metemma]] to Tana joined the route from Ennarya to the Red Sea. Other advantages were a semi-circle of mountains that afforded protection, nearby fertile agricultural lands and a permanent water supply. Popular legends, how-ever, maintain that Fasilides was led to the site by prophecy and miraculous events. |
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Tradition also states that a buffalo led the Emperor Fasilides to a pool beside the [[Angereb River|Angereb]], where an "old and venerable hermit" told the Emperor he would locate his capital there. Fasilides had the pool filled in and built his castle on that same site.<ref>Richard K.P. Pankhurst, ''History of Ethiopian Towns: From the Middle Ages to the Early Nineteenth Century'' (Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1982), vol. 1 p. 117.</ref> The emperor also built a total of seven churches; the first two, Fit Mikael and [[Qedus Abbo]], were built to end local epidemics.{{clarify|date=January 2018}} The five emperors who followed him also built their palaces in the town. |
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Within the capital, [[Fasilides]] ordered the construction of the imposing edifice known as the [[Fasil Ghebbi]] or Fasilides Castle. Further, he established five other churches, including Mädòane Aläm and Fit Abbo (the latter close to the church of Arbaétu Ensésa, one of the four local churches that predate Gondar's founding). The pleasure-pool with stone pavilion beside the Qaha river known as the "Bath of Fasilides" and several bridges are also commonly attributed to him. In 1648 a [[Yemenis|Yemeni]] traveler, Hassan ibn Ahmad al-Haymi who visited the palace in 1648 when it was only a few years old described it as a great house of stone and lime and "one of marvelous of buildings, worthy of admiration, and the most beautiful of outstanding wonders. The head stone mason was an [[Indian people|Indian]] named Abdal Kerim who had previously worked on the palace of Emperor [[Susenyos I]] in Danqaz. In the newly built castle Hasan saw beds from Istanbul, mattresses from India glittering with gold, sofas inlaid with pieces of jewelry and gems. His eye was also struck by the attire of the courtiers: gowns of silk brocade embroidered with gold, silk gowns, golden girdles "set with marvelous stones and precious gems", swords from Sennar inlaid with the choicest pure gold.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Ḥaymī |first1=al-Ḥasan ibn Aḥmad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8-VtAAAAMAAJ |title=A Yemenite Embassy to Ethiopia, 1647-1649: Al-Ḥaymī's Sīrat Al-Ḥabas̲h̲a, Newly Introduced, Translated, and Annotated |last2=Donzel |first2=E. J. van |date=1986 |publisher=F. Steiner |isbn=978-3-515-04205-5 |language=en}}</ref> According to the ''Royal Chronicles'', the edifices of [[Yohannes I]] and [[Iyasu I]] where reported to have been built by a man named Walda Giyorgis, who was "endowed with intelligence". The latter use of an Ethiopian architect rather than a foreign one suggests that by then the foreign community in Gondar had largely been expelled<ref>Richard K.P. Pankhurst, ''History of Ethiopian Towns: From the Middle Ages to the Early Nineteenth Century'' (Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1982), vol. 1 p. 117.</ref> |
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In 1668, as a result of a church council, the Emperor [[Yohannes I]] ruled that the inhabitants of Gondar were to be segregated by religion. This caused the Muslims and Jews to move into their own quarters within two years. The decree, reissued in 1676, meant that almost all Muslims in Gondar subsequently resided in the lower part of the town beside the Qaha, a quarter known as Eslam Bet or Eslamge. The [[Beta Israel]] were assigned four quarters, two of them, Abarra and Kayla Meda, beside the Qaha. Aside from the royal enclosure, known as the Makkabäbiya or Fail Gémb, other significant quarters were the Addebabay, a public square on the south of the royal compound, a place of assemblies and the Monday market; Abun Bet, north-west of the castles, residence of the abun, or Metropolitan, and a place of asylum; Eccäge Bet, west of the castles, residence of the -éccäge and also a refuge for offenders; Qañn Bet, east-south-east of the castles and home to many nobles; and Déngay, further south-west and inhabited by Christian merchants. To the far south-south-east lay the main (Saturday) market and beyond it, Eslamge at the foot of the Gondar's plateau. By the reign of Iyasu the Great, the city's population is estimated to have exceeded 60,000. Many of the buildings from this period survive, despite the turmoil of the eighteenth century. <ref>Richard K.P. Pankhurst, ''History of Ethiopian Towns: From the Middle Ages to the Early Nineteenth Century'' (Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1982), vol. 1 p. 117.</ref> |
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Beginning with [[Emperor]] [[Menas of Ethiopia|Menas]] in 1559, the rulers of [[Ethiopia]] began spending the rainy season near [[Lake Tana]], often returning to the same location each year. These encampments, which flourished as cities for a short time, include [[Emfraz]], [[Ayba]], [[Gorgora]] and [[Dankaz]]. |
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=== 17th century === |
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As Gondar expanded, successive emperors built new palaces, churches, and monuments. Empress [[Mentewab]] built her own palace near the vicinity of Fasilides' royal compound, and also constructed a church near her residence, adorned by beautiful paintings and illuminated manuscripts. Fires, such as the one in 1732 during the defeat of a rebel force loyal to Iyasu II, provided excuses for emperors to engage in construction. The city's growth, fueled by trade conducted in weekly markets south of the castle complex, also influenced demographics. Ecclesiastical suburbs emerged, including the Muslim Islambet or Islamge, the Jewish community of Falasha Bet involved in blacksmithing and pottery, and Echege Bet and Abuna Bet, both centers for the Ethiopian Church. Poetry and music became preeminent, as the city would become renowned for its secular songs, several Gondarine poets achieved nation wide reputation. |
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[[File:Gondar 01.jpg|thumb|17th century library and chancellery in Gondar]] |
[[File:Gondar 01.jpg|thumb|17th century library and chancellery in Gondar]] |
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In 1668, as a result of a church council, the Emperor [[Yohannes I of Ethiopia|Yohannes I]] ruled that the inhabitants of Gondar were to be segregated by religion. This caused the [[Muslim]]s and [[Jew]]s to move into their own quarters within two years. These quarters came to be known as Addis Alem ("New World") and Kayla Mayda (plain of Kayla).<ref name=getamun>{{Cite book|first=Solomon|last=Getamun|title=History of the City of Gondar|publisher=Africa World Press|date=2005|isbn=1569021953}}</ref>{{Rp|16}} |
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During the seventeenth century, the city's population is estimated to have exceeded 60,000. Many of the buildings from this period survive, despite the turmoil of the eighteenth century. By the reign of [[Iyasu I|Iyasu the Great]], Gondar had acquired a sense of community identity. |
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The Oromo influence in Gondar rapidly began to increase in the 18th century. The last Gondarine Emperor to exercise full control was [[Iyasu II]], during his reign multiple revolts broke out and it became apparent that the country was on the eve of political change. He was succeeded by Iyoas I, who effectively became an Oromo puppet. The city was now guarded by 3,000 Oromo troops and had essentially been taken over by the Oromos. In the face of overwhelming opposition towards the Oromo newcomers, Iyoas was forced to appeal to the powerful warlord Mikael Sehul. Ras Mikael thus became master of Gondar, and later had Iyoas deposed and murdered. The Empire thus entered a period of supreme difficulty when its authority declined during the Zemene Mesafint.<ref>Richard K.P. Pankhurst, ''History of Ethiopian Towns: From the Middle Ages to the Early Nineteenth Century'' (Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1982), vol. 1 p. 117.</ref> |
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===19th century=== |
=== 19th century === |
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The town served as Ethiopia's capital until [[Tewodros II]] moved the Imperial capital to [[Debra Tabor]] in 1856, and Gondar becoming a "city of Priests";<ref>{{Cite book |first=Stuart |last=Munro-Hay |authorlink=Stuart Munro-Hay |title=Ethiopia: The Unknown Land |publisher=I.B. Tauris |year=2002 |isbn=1860647448 |page=69}}</ref> Tewodros II plundered and burnt the city in 1864, then devastated it again in December, 1866.<ref>Sven Rubenson, ''King of Kings: Tewodros of Ethiopia'' (Addis Ababa: Haile Selassie I University, 1966), pp.71</ref><ref>R. Pankhurst, in ''UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol VI: Africa in the Nineteenth Century '' p.397</ref> [[Abdallahi ibn Muhammad]] sacked Gondar when he invaded Ethiopia June 1887 and was ravaged by [[Sudan]]ese invaders that set fire to almost every one of the city's churches.<ref>[http://130.238.24.99/library/resources/dossiers/local_history_of_ethiopia/g/ORTGON.pdf "Local History in Ethiopia"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529193204/http://130.238.24.99/library/resources/dossiers/local_history_of_ethiopia/g/ORTGON.pdf |date=2008-05-29 }} (pdf) The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 9 May 2008)</ref> Lastly, it was bombed by the [[United Kingdom|British]] trying to clear out [[Fascist]] [[Italians|Italian]]s during [[WWII]]. |
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Gondar's fortunes declined further as the locus of the kingdom shifted south-east to [[Shewa]]. After the mid-1850s, no more emperors reigned in |
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Gondar, Emperor [[Tewodros II]] refused to live there and he suspected its population of disloyalty. In early 1864, he sought to compel Muslims to convert to Christianity, a decree that fell heavily upon Gondar's numerous Muslims, most of whom complied, if only nominally. Later that year, Tewodros sent his soldiers to sack the city. |
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Confronted with further opposition, Tewodros and his army plundered and burned Gondar in December 1866. Most churches were looted and destroyed and their treasures - gold and silver crosses, nearly 1,000 manuscripts - were carted off to [[Debre Tabor]], Tewodros's capital, that he intended to become the "new Gondar"<ref>Sven Rubenson, ''King of Kings: Tewodros of Ethiopia'' (Addis Ababa: Haile Selassie I University, 1966), pp.71</ref><ref>R. Pankhurst, in ''UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol VI: Africa in the Nineteenth Century '' p.397</ref> |
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In January 1888 and again in June 1889, the [[Mahdist State|Sudanese Dervishes]] (Mahdists) burned what was left of Gondar, even the Muslim inhabitants weren’t spared. By the early 20th century, the population had dwindled to a few thousand. Muslims still controlled the caravan trade, which was confined mostly to the regional level, and some had begun to settle in the upper town close to the castles. A German traveller [[Felix Rosen]] labelled Gondar "a dead city that belongs wholly to the past".<ref>[http://130.238.24.99/library/resources/dossiers/local_history_of_ethiopia/g/ORTGON.pdf "Local History in Ethiopia"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080529193204/http://130.238.24.99/library/resources/dossiers/local_history_of_ethiopia/g/ORTGON.pdf |date=2008-05-29 }} (pdf) The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 9 May 2008)</ref> |
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After the military occupation of Ethiopia by the [[Kingdom of Italy]] in 1936, Gondar was further developed under Italian occupation,<ref name=getamun />{{Rp|28–37}} and the [[Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus|Comboni missionaries]] established in 1937 the Latin Catholic [[Apostolic Prefecture of Gondar]], which would be suppressed after the death of its only prefect in 1951. |
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After the military occupation of Ethiopia by the [[Kingdom of Italy]] in 1936, Gondar was further developed under Italian occupation.<ref name="getamun">{{Cite book |last=Getamun |first=Solomon |title=History of the City of Gondar |date=2005 |publisher=Africa World Press |isbn=1569021953}}</ref>{{Rp|28–37}} Local inhabitants were segregated into districts west and south of the castle enclosure, Italians settling in northern and north-eastern areas. |
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New commercial and government buildings were erected north-east of the castles and a retail district, known hence-forth as the "piazza", was laid out adjacent to the castle compound, all in 1930s "modernist" architecture. A central artery linked the Italian quarters, piazza, Ethiopian merchant quarter, and Saturday market. Another new road ran west of the Fasil "bath" and on to Azezo, where a landing-strip provided an air service with [[Asmara]]. Other new roads connected the city with Gojjam and with Eritrea, the latter a paved, all-season roadway. Colonial authorities, seeking to curry favour with local Muslims, built a mosque (for the first time with minaret) beside the Saturday market, authorized the appointment of a gadi for matters involving the Sara and permitted Muslims to settle outside Addis Alem. |
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During the [[Second World War]], Mussolini's Italian forces [[Battle of Gondar|made their last stand in Gondar in November 1941]], after Addis Ababa fell to British forces six months before. The area of Gondar was one of the main centers of activity of [[Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia|Italian guerrilla]] against the British forces until summer 1943.<ref name=getamun />{{Rp|55–60}} |
During the [[Second World War]], Mussolini's Italian forces [[Battle of Gondar|made their last stand in Gondar in November 1941]], after Addis Ababa fell to British forces six months before. The area of Gondar was one of the main centers of activity of [[Italian guerrilla war in Ethiopia|Italian guerrilla]] against the British forces until summer 1943.<ref name=getamun />{{Rp|55–60}} |
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During the [[Ethiopian Civil War]], the forces of the [[Ethiopian Democratic Union]] |
During the [[Ethiopian Civil War]], the forces of the [[Ethiopian Democratic Union]] gained control of large parts of [[Begemder]], and during parts of 1977 operated within a few kilometers of Gondar, and appeared to be at the point of capturing the city.<ref>Marina and David Ottaway, ''Ethiopia: Empire in Revolution'' (New York: Africana, 1978), p. 171</ref> As part of [[Operation Tewodros]] near the end of the Civil War, Gondar was captured by the [[Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front]] in March 1991.<ref>{{Cite book|first=Paul B|last=Henze|author-link=Paul B. Henze|title=Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia|date=2000|page=322|isbn=1137117869}}</ref> |
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As a result of the [[War in Amhara]] that began in 2023, Gondar has seen a surge in violent crimes, including robbery, kidnapping, and murder.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=4 September 2024 |title=Gonder City authorities implicate security forces' involvement in surging crimes of kidnapping for ransom, murder; pledge to crack down |url=https://addisstandard.com/gonder-city-authorities-implicate-security-forces-involvement-in-surging-crimes-of-kidnapping-for-ransom-murder-pledge-to-crack-down/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=[[Addis Standard]] |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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==Cityscape== |
==Cityscape== |
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[[File:Gondar Fasiladas Bath Timket.jpg|thumb|Crowds gather at the Fasilides' Bath in Gondar to celebrate ''[[Timkat]]'' – the [[Epiphany (Christian)|Epiphany]] for the [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church]].]] |
[[File:Gondar Fasiladas Bath Timket.jpg|thumb|Crowds gather at the Fasilides' Bath in Gondar to celebrate ''[[Timkat]]'' – the [[Epiphany (Christian)|Epiphany]] for the [[Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church]].]] |
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Gondar traditionally was divided into several neighborhoods or quarters: Addis Alem, where the Muslim inhabitants dwelt; Kayla Mayda, where the adherents of [[Beta Israel]] lived; Abun Bet, centered on the residence of the [[Abuna]], or nominal head of the [[Ethiopian Church]]; and Qagn Bet, home to the nobility.<ref name=getamun />{{Rp|16ff}} Gondar is also a noted center of ecclesiastical learning of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and known for having 44 churches – for many years more than any other settlement in Ethiopia. Gondar and its surrounding countryside constitute the homeland of most [[Beta Israel|Ethiopian Jews]]. |
Gondar traditionally was divided into several neighborhoods or quarters. These quarters are: Addis Alem, where the Muslim inhabitants dwelt; Kayla Mayda, where the adherents of [[Beta Israel]] lived; Abun Bet, centered on the residence of the [[Abuna]], or nominal head of the [[Ethiopian Church]]; and Qagn Bet, home to the nobility.<ref name=getamun />{{Rp|16ff}} Gondar is also a noted center of ecclesiastical learning of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and known for having 44 churches – for many years more than any other settlement in Ethiopia. Gondar and its surrounding countryside constitute the homeland of most [[Beta Israel|Ethiopian Jews]]. |
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The modern city of Gondar is popular as a tourist destination for its many picturesque ruins in [[Fasil Ghebbi]] (the Royal Enclosure), from which the emperors once reigned. The most famous buildings in the city lie in the Royal Enclosure, which include [[Fasilides]]' castle, [[Iyasu I|Iyasu]]'s palace, [[Dawit III|Dawit]]'s Hall, a banqueting hall, stables, Empress [[Mentewab]]'s castle, a [[Chancery (medieval office)|chancellery]], library and three churches. Near the city lie Fasilides' Bath, home to an annual ceremony where it is blessed and then opened for bathing; the Qusquam complex, built by Empress Mentewab; the eighteenth century Ras Mikael Sehul's Palace and the Debre Berhan Selassie Church. |
The modern city of Gondar is popular as a tourist destination for its many picturesque ruins in [[Fasil Ghebbi]] (the Royal Enclosure), from which the emperors once reigned. The most famous buildings in the city lie in the Royal Enclosure, which include [[Fasilides]]' castle, [[Iyasu I|Iyasu]]'s palace, [[Dawit III|Dawit]]'s Hall, a banqueting hall, stables, Empress [[Mentewab]]'s castle, a [[Chancery (medieval office)|chancellery]], library and three churches. Near the city lie [[Fasilides' Bath]], home to an annual ceremony where it is blessed and then opened for bathing; the [[Qusquam]] complex, built by Empress Mentewab; the eighteenth century [[Ras Mikael Sehul's Palace]] and the [[Debre Berhan Selassie Church]]. |
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Downtown Gondar shows the influence of the Italian occupation of the late 1930s. The main piazza features shops, a cinema, and other public buildings in a simplified Italian [[Art Deco|Moderne]] style still distinctively of the period despite later changes and, frequently, neglect. Villas and flats in the nearby quarter that once housed occupation officials and colonists are also of interest. |
Downtown Gondar shows the influence of the Italian occupation of the late 1930s. The main piazza features shops, a cinema, and other public buildings in a simplified Italian [[Art Deco|Moderne]] style still distinctively of the period despite later changes and, frequently, neglect. Villas and flats in the nearby quarter that once housed occupation officials and colonists are also of interest. |
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==Education== |
== Education == |
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The town is home to the [[University of Gondar]], which includes Ethiopia's main faculty of medicine. [https://thsc.edu.et/ Teda Health Science College] is also located at this town. |
The town is home to the [[University of Gondar]], which includes Ethiopia's main faculty of medicine. [https://thsc.edu.et/ Teda Health Science College] is also located at this town. |
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==Demographics== |
==Demographics== |
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{{See also|Languages of Ethiopia}} |
{{See also|Languages of Ethiopia}} |
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{{Historical populations|1984|80,886|1994|112,249|2007|207,044| |
{{Historical populations|1984|80,886|1994|112,249|2007|207,044|2015|323,900|align=right|footnote=source:<ref>{{Cite web |title=Gondar population statistics |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/Ethiopia.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180924030324/http://citypopulation.de/Ethiopia.html |archive-date=24 September 2018 |access-date=6 October 2019}}</ref>}} |
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Based on the 2007 national census conducted by the [[Central Statistical Agency (Ethiopia)|Central Statistical Agency]] of Ethiopia (CSA), the woreda had a total population of 207,044, an increase of 84.45% from the 1994 census, of whom 98,120 were male and 108,924 female. A total of 53,725 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 3.85 persons to a household, and 50,818 housing units. The majority of the inhabitants practiced [[Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity]], with 84.15% reporting that as their religion, while 11.77% of the population said they were [[Islam|Muslim]].<ref name="CSA 2007">[http://www.csa.gov.et/census-report/complete-report/census-2007?download=191:statistical-amhara Census 2007 Tables: Amhara Region], Tables 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4.</ref> |
Based on the 2007 national census conducted by the [[Central Statistical Agency (Ethiopia)|Central Statistical Agency]] of Ethiopia (CSA), the woreda had a total population of 207,044, an increase of 84.45% from the 1994 census, of whom 98,120 were male and 108,924 female. A total of 53,725 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 3.85 persons to a household, and 50,818 housing units. The majority of the inhabitants practiced [[Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity]], with 84.15% reporting that as their religion, while 11.77% of the population said they were [[Islam|Muslim]].<ref name="CSA 2007">[http://www.csa.gov.et/census-report/complete-report/census-2007?download=191:statistical-amhara Census 2007 Tables: Amhara Region], Tables 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4.</ref> |
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{{Pie chart |
{{Pie chart |
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The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 112,249 in 22,932 households, of whom 51,366 were male and 60,883 female. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Gondar were the [[Amhara people|Amhara]] (88.91%), [[Tigrayans]] (6.74%), and [[Qemant]] (2.37%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.98% of the population. [[Amharic language|Amharic]] was spoken as a first language by 94.57% of the population and [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]] was spoken as a first language by 4.67% of the population; the remaining 0.76% spoke all other primary languages reported. 83.31% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 15.83% of the population said they were Muslim.<ref name="csa.gov.et">[http://www.csa.gov.et/census-report/complete-report/census-1994?download=202:amhara-region ''1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Amhara Region'', Vol. 1, part 1], Tables 2.1, 2.7, 2.10, 2.13, 2.17, Annex II.2 (Retrieved 29 May 2022)</ref> |
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 112,249 in 22,932 households, of whom 51,366 were male and 60,883 female. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Gondar were the [[Amhara people|Amhara]] (88.91%), [[Tigrayans]] (6.74%), and [[Qemant]] (2.37%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.98% of the population. [[Amharic language|Amharic]] was spoken as a first language by 94.57% of the population and [[Tigrinya language|Tigrinya]] was spoken as a first language by 4.67% of the population; the remaining 0.76% spoke all other primary languages reported. 83.31% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 15.83% of the population said they were Muslim.<ref name="csa.gov.et">[http://www.csa.gov.et/census-report/complete-report/census-1994?download=202:amhara-region ''1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Amhara Region'', Vol. 1, part 1], Tables 2.1, 2.7, 2.10, 2.13, 2.17, Annex II.2 (Retrieved 29 May 2022)</ref> |
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== Documentation with 3D laser scanners == |
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The [[Zamani Project]] documented [[Fasil Ghebbi]] in the center of Gondar with terrestrial [[3D laser scanning]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Site - Fassil Ghebbi - Gondar |url=https://zamaniproject.org/site-ethiopia-gondar-fasil-ghebbi.html#header5-d |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190928203257/https://www.zamaniproject.org/site-ethiopia-gondar-fasil-ghebbi.html#header5-d |archive-date=28 September 2019 |access-date=2019-10-07 |website=zamaniproject.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rüther |first=Heinz |last2=Rajan |first2=Rahim S. |year=2007 |title=Documenting African Sites: The Aluka Project |journal=Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians |volume=66 |issue=4 |pages=437–443 |doi=10.1525/jsah.2007.66.4.437 |issn=0037-9808 |jstor=10.1525/jsah.2007.66.4.437}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rüther |first=Heinz |year=2002 |title=An African Heritage Database: The Virtual Preservation of Africa's Past |url=https://www.isprs.org/proceedings/xxxiv/6-w6/papers/ruther.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226050007/https://www.isprs.org/proceedings/xxxiv/6-w6/papers/ruther.pdf |archive-date=26 February 2020 |access-date=2 October 2019 |publisher=International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing}}</ref> The structures documented include: the Castle of Emperor [[Fasilides]], the Bakaffa Castle, Dawit III's Hall, the Castle of Emperor Iyasu, the Royal Library, the Chancellery, the Royal Archive Building . |
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Some of the textured 3D models, a panorama tour, elevations, sections and plans are available on [https://zamaniproject.org/site-ethiopia-gondar-fasil-ghebbi.html www.zamaniproject.org]. |
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==Transport== |
==Transport== |
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Air transport is served by [[Gondar Airport]] ([[ICAO]] code HAGN, [[IATA]] GDQ), also known as Atse Tewodros Airport, after the [[Emperor of Ethiopia]] ([[Atse]]) [[Tewodros II of Ethiopia|Tewodros]]. It is {{convert|18|km|0|abbr=in}} south of the city.<ref name="EAE">{{Cite web |title=Gondar Atse Tewodros Airport |url=http://www.ethiopianairports.com/GonderAirport.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203112208/http://www.ethiopianairports.com/GonderAirport.aspx |archive-date=3 December 2013 |access-date=27 June 2014 |publisher=Ethiopian Airports Enterprise}}</ref> Travel within Gondar is mostly done by mini-buses and 3-wheeler motorcycles (accommodating 3–4 passengers). |
Air transport is served by [[Gondar Airport]] ([[ICAO]] code HAGN, [[IATA]] GDQ), also known as Atse Tewodros Airport, after the [[Emperor of Ethiopia]] ([[Atse]]) [[Tewodros II of Ethiopia|Tewodros]]. It is {{convert|18|km|0|abbr=in}} south of the city.<ref name="EAE">{{Cite web |title=Gondar Atse Tewodros Airport |url=http://www.ethiopianairports.com/GonderAirport.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203112208/http://www.ethiopianairports.com/GonderAirport.aspx |archive-date=3 December 2013 |access-date=27 June 2014 |publisher=Ethiopian Airports Enterprise}}</ref> Travel within Gondar is mostly done by mini-buses and 3-wheeler motorcycles (accommodating 3–4 passengers). |
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Intercity bus service is provided by the [[Sky Bus Transport System |
Intercity bus service is provided by the [[forward trvellers sacco]] and Sky Bus Transport System, as well as independently owned buses that depart from the town bus station. |
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==Climate== |
==Climate== |
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| Line 127: | Line 131: | ||
{{Weather box |
{{Weather box |
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|location = Gondar |
|location = Gondar |
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|metric first = y |
|metric first = y |
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|single line = y |
|single line = y |
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| Line 143: | Line 147: | ||
|Dec record high C = 30.2 |
|Dec record high C = 30.2 |
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|year record high C = 34.8 |
|year record high C = 34.8 |
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|Jan high C = 28 |
|Jan high C = 28.4 |
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|Feb high C = 29 |
|Feb high C = 29.2 |
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|Mar high C = 29 |
|Mar high C = 29.3 |
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|Apr high C = |
|Apr high C = 27.9 |
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|May high C = |
|May high C = 26.6 |
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|Jun high C = 25 |
|Jun high C = 25.2 |
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|Jul high C = 23 |
|Jul high C = 23.6 |
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|Aug high C = |
|Aug high C = 24.1 |
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|Sep high C = 25 |
|Sep high C = 25.0 |
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|Oct high C = 26 |
|Oct high C = 26.2 |
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|Nov high C = 27 |
|Nov high C = 27.5 |
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|Dec high C = 27 |
|Dec high C = 27.9 |
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|year high C = |
|year high C = |
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|Jan mean C = 19.8 |
|Jan mean C = 19.8 |
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| Line 169: | Line 173: | ||
|Dec mean C = 19.4 |
|Dec mean C = 19.4 |
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|year mean C = 20.0 |
|year mean C = 20.0 |
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|Jan low C = |
|Jan low C = 10.4 |
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|Feb low C = |
|Feb low C = 11.6 |
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|Mar low C = |
|Mar low C = 12.5 |
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|Apr low C = |
|Apr low C = 13.6 |
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|May low C = |
|May low C = 13.8 |
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|Jun low C = |
|Jun low C = 13.9 |
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|Jul low C = |
|Jul low C = 14.0 |
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|Aug low C = 13 |
|Aug low C = 13.9 |
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|Sep low C = 13 |
|Sep low C = 13.1 |
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|Oct low C = |
|Oct low C = 11.8 |
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|Nov low C = |
|Nov low C = 9.4 |
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|Dec low C = |
|Dec low C = 9.2 |
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|year low C = |
|year low C = |
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|Jan record low C = 3.0 |
|Jan record low C = 3.0 |
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| Line 262: | Line 266: | ||
|Decd sun = 9.0 |
|Decd sun = 9.0 |
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|yeard sun = 7.2 |
|yeard sun = 7.2 |
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| source 1 = National Meteorology Agency (average high and low)<ref name=NMA>{{cite web |
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|source 1 = [[World Meteorological Organisation]] (average high and low, and rainfall)<ref name="WMO">{{Cite web |title=World Weather Information Service – Gondar |url=http://worldweather.wmo.int/060/c01921.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023020441/http://worldweather.wmo.int/060/c01921.htm |archive-date=23 October 2013 |access-date=31 March 2019 |publisher=World Meteorological Organisation |df=dmy-all}}</ref> |
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| url = http://ethiomet.gov.et/climates/climate_of_city/2703/Gondar |
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| ⚫ | |source 2 = [[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (mean temperatures 1954–1990, humidity 1957–1982, and sun 1937–1990)<ref name="DWD">{{Cite web |title=Klimatafel von Gondar (Gonder), Provinz Gondar / Äthiopien |url=https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_633310_kt.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331144332/https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_633310_kt.pdf |archive-date=31 March 2019 |access-date=31 March 2019 |website=Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world |publisher=Deutscher Wetterdienst |language=de}}</ref> Meteo Climat ( |
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| title = Climate of City: Gondar |
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| publisher= National Meteorology Agency |
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| access-date = 19 June 2024}}</ref> |
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| ⚫ | |source 2 = [[World Meteorological Organisation]] (rainfall 1981–2010)<ref name="WMO">{{Cite web |title=World Weather Information Service – Gondar |url=http://worldweather.wmo.int/060/c01921.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023020441/http://worldweather.wmo.int/060/c01921.htm |archive-date=23 October 2013 |access-date=31 March 2019 |publisher=World Meteorological Organisation |df=dmy-all}}</ref>[[Deutscher Wetterdienst]] (mean temperatures 1954–1990, humidity 1957–1982, and sun 1937–1990)<ref name="DWD">{{Cite web |title=Klimatafel von Gondar (Gonder), Provinz Gondar / Äthiopien |url=https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_633310_kt.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331144332/https://www.dwd.de/DWD/klima/beratung/ak/ak_633310_kt.pdf |archive-date=31 March 2019 |access-date=31 March 2019 |website=Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world |publisher=Deutscher Wetterdienst |language=de}}</ref> Meteo Climat (extremes 1924–present)<ref name="meteoclimat">{{Cite web |title=Station Gondar |url=http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1838 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224122006/http://meteo-climat-bzh.dyndns.org/index.php?page=stati&id=1838 |archive-date=24 February 2021 |access-date=31 March 2019 |publisher=Météo Climat |language=fr}}</ref> |
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}} |
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* {{flagicon|Israel}} [[Rishon LeZion]], [[Israel]] |
* {{flagicon|Israel}} [[Rishon LeZion]], [[Israel]] |
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==Notable people== |
== Notable people == |
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* [[Abby Lakew]] |
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* [[Aster Aweke]]: singer |
*[[Abby Lakew]] |
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*[[Aster Aweke]]: singer |
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* |
*[[Eténèsh Wassié]]: singer and [[Azmari]] |
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* |
*[[Haile Gerima]] |
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* |
*[[Yityish Titi Aynaw]]: Miss Israel 2013 |
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* |
*[[Fasil Demoz]]: Singer |
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*[[Liliana Mele]]: actress |
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| ⚫ | |||
*[[Fano Mesafint: Fano Dereje: Fano Demeke: Fano Agaye: Fano Selomon: Fano Arega: Fano Mesay]]: Freedom Fighters |
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| ⚫ | |||
==See also== |
== See also == |
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{{portal|Africa}} |
{{portal|Africa}} |
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* [[List of Gondarine churches]] |
* [[List of Gondarine churches]] |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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{{wikivoyage|Gondar}} |
{{wikivoyage|Gondar}} |
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{{commons |
{{commons}} |
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* {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Gondar |volume=11 |short=x}} |
* {{cite EB1911|wstitle=Gondar |volume=11 |short=x}} |
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* [http://www.ethiopiantreasures.toucansurf.com/pages/gonder.htm Ethiopian Treasures – Fasilados Castle, Felasha Village – Gonder] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181635/http://www.ethiopiantreasures.toucansurf.com/pages/gonder.htm |date=3 March 2016 }} |
* [http://www.ethiopiantreasures.toucansurf.com/pages/gonder.htm Ethiopian Treasures – Fasilados Castle, Felasha Village – Gonder] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181635/http://www.ethiopiantreasures.toucansurf.com/pages/gonder.htm |date=3 March 2016 }} |
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* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090304023551/http://www.impetusinmundum.de/documentation/Album.html?Bildliste=590517cf-5a0518f4&Region=Gonder Pictures from Gonder] |
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090304023551/http://www.impetusinmundum.de/documentation/Album.html?Bildliste=590517cf-5a0518f4&Region=Gonder Pictures from Gonder] |
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{{Cities of Ethiopia |
{{Cities of Ethiopia}} |
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{{Districts of the Amhara Region}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
{{Authority control}} |
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[[Category:Gondar]] |
[[Category:Gondar| ]] |
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[[Category:Districts of Amhara Region]] |
[[Category:Districts of Amhara Region]] |
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[[Category:Former national capitals]] |
[[Category:Former national capitals]] |
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Revision as of 16:16, 15 September 2024
Gondar
Gonder | |
|---|---|
City and woreda | |
From top, left to right: View of Gondar; Mentewab's Castle; Chancellery of Yohannes I; Fasilides Bath; Enqualal Gemb; and Debre Berhan Selassie Church | |
  Gondar Location within Ethiopia .svg) Gondar Location within the Horn of Africa  Gondar Location within Africa | |
| Coordinates: 12°36′27″N 37°27′33″E / 12.60750°N 37.45917°E | |
| Country |  Ethiopia |
| Region |  Amhara |
| Zone | North Gondar |
| Founded | 1636 |
| Founded by | Fasilides |
| Area | |
| • Total | 192.27 km2 (74.24 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 2,133 m (6,998 ft) |
| Population (2007)[1] | |
| • Total | 207,044 |
| • Estimate (2021)[2] | 443,156 |
| • Density | 1,100/km2 (2,800/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
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Gondar, also spelled Gonder (Amharic: ጎንደር, Gonder[a] or Gondär;[b] formerly ጐንደር, Gʷandar or Gʷender), is a city and woreda in Ethiopia. Located in the North Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, Gondar is north of Lake Tana on the Lesser Angereb River and southwest of the Simien Mountains. As of 2021[update], Gondar has an estimated population of 443,156.[2]
Gondar previously served as the capital of both the Ethiopian Empire and the subsequent Begemder Province. The city holds the remains of several royal castles, including those in the Fasil Ghebbi UNESCO World Heritage Site for which Gondar has been called the "Camelot of Africa".[3]
History
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2020) |
Origins
Gondar was founded by Emperor Fasilides around the year 1635, and grew as an agricultural and market town. There was a superstition at the time that the capital's name should begin with the letter 'Gʷa' (modern pronunciation 'Gʷe'; Gonder was originally spelt Gʷandar), which also contributed to Gorgora's (founded as Gʷargʷara) growth in the centuries after 1600.
Tradition also states that a buffalo led the Emperor Fasilides to a pool beside the Angereb, where an "old and venerable hermit" told the Emperor he would locate his capital there. Fasilides had the pool filled in and built his castle on that same site.[4] The emperor also built a total of seven churches; the first two, Fit Mikael and Qedus Abbo, were built to end local epidemics.[clarification needed] The five emperors who followed him also built their palaces in the town.
16th century
Beginning with Emperor Menas in 1559, the rulers of Ethiopia began spending the rainy season near Lake Tana, often returning to the same location each year. These encampments, which flourished as cities for a short time, include Emfraz, Ayba, Gorgora and Dankaz.
17th century
In 1668, as a result of a church council, the Emperor Yohannes I ruled that the inhabitants of Gondar were to be segregated by religion. This caused the Muslims and Jews to move into their own quarters within two years. These quarters came to be known as Addis Alem ("New World") and Kayla Mayda (plain of Kayla).[5]: 16
During the seventeenth century, the city's population is estimated to have exceeded 60,000. Many of the buildings from this period survive, despite the turmoil of the eighteenth century. By the reign of Iyasu the Great, Gondar had acquired a sense of community identity.
19th century
The town served as Ethiopia's capital until Tewodros II moved the Imperial capital to Debra Tabor in 1856, and Gondar becoming a "city of Priests";[6] Tewodros II plundered and burnt the city in 1864, then devastated it again in December, 1866.[7][8] Abdallahi ibn Muhammad sacked Gondar when he invaded Ethiopia June 1887 and was ravaged by Sudanese invaders that set fire to almost every one of the city's churches.[9] Lastly, it was bombed by the British trying to clear out Fascist Italians during WWII.
20th century
After the military occupation of Ethiopia by the Kingdom of Italy in 1936, Gondar was further developed under Italian occupation,[5]: 28–37 and the Comboni missionaries established in 1937 the Latin Catholic Apostolic Prefecture of Gondar, which would be suppressed after the death of its only prefect in 1951.
During the Second World War, Mussolini's Italian forces made their last stand in Gondar in November 1941, after Addis Ababa fell to British forces six months before. The area of Gondar was one of the main centers of activity of Italian guerrilla against the British forces until summer 1943.[5]: 55–60
During the Ethiopian Civil War, the forces of the Ethiopian Democratic Union gained control of large parts of Begemder, and during parts of 1977 operated within a few kilometers of Gondar, and appeared to be at the point of capturing the city.[10] As part of Operation Tewodros near the end of the Civil War, Gondar was captured by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front in March 1991.[11]
As a result of the War in Amhara that began in 2023, Gondar has seen a surge in violent crimes, including robbery, kidnapping, and murder.[12]
Cityscape
Gondar traditionally was divided into several neighborhoods or quarters. These quarters are: Addis Alem, where the Muslim inhabitants dwelt; Kayla Mayda, where the adherents of Beta Israel lived; Abun Bet, centered on the residence of the Abuna, or nominal head of the Ethiopian Church; and Qagn Bet, home to the nobility.[5]: 16ff Gondar is also a noted center of ecclesiastical learning of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and known for having 44 churches – for many years more than any other settlement in Ethiopia. Gondar and its surrounding countryside constitute the homeland of most Ethiopian Jews.
The modern city of Gondar is popular as a tourist destination for its many picturesque ruins in Fasil Ghebbi (the Royal Enclosure), from which the emperors once reigned. The most famous buildings in the city lie in the Royal Enclosure, which include Fasilides' castle, Iyasu's palace, Dawit's Hall, a banqueting hall, stables, Empress Mentewab's castle, a chancellery, library and three churches. Near the city lie Fasilides' Bath, home to an annual ceremony where it is blessed and then opened for bathing; the Qusquam complex, built by Empress Mentewab; the eighteenth century Ras Mikael Sehul's Palace and the Debre Berhan Selassie Church.
Downtown Gondar shows the influence of the Italian occupation of the late 1930s. The main piazza features shops, a cinema, and other public buildings in a simplified Italian Moderne style still distinctively of the period despite later changes and, frequently, neglect. Villas and flats in the nearby quarter that once housed occupation officials and colonists are also of interest.
Education
The town is home to the University of Gondar, which includes Ethiopia's main faculty of medicine. Teda Health Science College is also located at this town.
Demographics
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 80,886 | — |
| 1994 | 112,249 | +38.8% |
| 2007 | 207,044 | +84.5% |
| 2015 | 323,900 | +56.4% |
| source:[13] | ||
Based on the 2007 national census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), the woreda had a total population of 207,044, an increase of 84.45% from the 1994 census, of whom 98,120 were male and 108,924 female. A total of 53,725 households were counted in this woreda, resulting in an average of 3.85 persons to a household, and 50,818 housing units. The majority of the inhabitants practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, with 84.15% reporting that as their religion, while 11.77% of the population said they were Muslim.[1]
The 1994 national census reported a total population for this woreda of 112,249 in 22,932 households, of whom 51,366 were male and 60,883 female. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Gondar were the Amhara (88.91%), Tigrayans (6.74%), and Qemant (2.37%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.98% of the population. Amharic was spoken as a first language by 94.57% of the population and Tigrinya was spoken as a first language by 4.67% of the population; the remaining 0.76% spoke all other primary languages reported. 83.31% practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, and 15.83% of the population said they were Muslim.[14]
Documentation with 3D laser scanners
The Zamani Project documented Fasil Ghebbi in the center of Gondar with terrestrial 3D laser scanning.[15][16][17] The structures documented include: the Castle of Emperor Fasilides, the Bakaffa Castle, Dawit III's Hall, the Castle of Emperor Iyasu, the Royal Library, the Chancellery, the Royal Archive Building .
Some of the textured 3D models, a panorama tour, elevations, sections and plans are available on www.zamaniproject.org.
Transport
Air transport is served by Gondar Airport (ICAO code HAGN, IATA GDQ), also known as Atse Tewodros Airport, after the Emperor of Ethiopia (Atse) Tewodros. It is 18 km (11 miles) south of the city.[18] Travel within Gondar is mostly done by mini-buses and 3-wheeler motorcycles (accommodating 3–4 passengers).
Intercity bus service is provided by the forward trvellers sacco and Sky Bus Transport System, as well as independently owned buses that depart from the town bus station.
Climate
The climate of Gondar is mild, temperate to warm, with an average temperature of 20 °C year round.[19] Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as subtropical highland (Cwb).[20]
| Climate data for Gondar | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 31.0 (87.8) |
33.4 (92.1) |
33.5 (92.3) |
34.1 (93.4) |
33.4 (92.1) |
34.8 (94.6) |
26.6 (79.9) |
31.0 (87.8) |
29.9 (85.8) |
29.6 (85.3) |
29.7 (85.5) |
30.2 (86.4) |
34.8 (94.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 28.4 (83.1) |
29.2 (84.6) |
29.3 (84.7) |
27.9 (82.2) |
26.6 (79.9) |
25.2 (77.4) |
23.6 (74.5) |
24.1 (75.4) |
25.0 (77.0) |
26.2 (79.2) |
27.5 (81.5) |
27.9 (82.2) |
26.7 (80.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 19.8 (67.6) |
21.5 (70.7) |
22.7 (72.9) |
22.7 (72.9) |
21.7 (71.1) |
19.7 (67.5) |
17.8 (64.0) |
17.9 (64.2) |
18.7 (65.7) |
19.2 (66.6) |
19.3 (66.7) |
19.4 (66.9) |
20.0 (68.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 10.4 (50.7) |
11.6 (52.9) |
12.5 (54.5) |
13.6 (56.5) |
13.8 (56.8) |
13.9 (57.0) |
14.0 (57.2) |
13.9 (57.0) |
13.1 (55.6) |
11.8 (53.2) |
9.4 (48.9) |
9.2 (48.6) |
12.3 (54.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 3.0 (37.4) |
5.2 (41.4) |
6.2 (43.2) |
9.2 (48.6) |
5.5 (41.9) |
6.0 (42.8) |
8.4 (47.1) |
8.0 (46.4) |
7.0 (44.6) |
6.0 (42.8) |
4.5 (40.1) |
1.6 (34.9) |
1.6 (34.9) |
| Average rainfall mm (inches) | 2 (0.1) |
2 (0.1) |
13 (0.5) |
32 (1.3) |
72 (2.8) |
160 (6.3) |
293 (11.5) |
275 (10.8) |
112 (4.4) |
60 (2.4) |
12 (0.5) |
4 (0.2) |
1,037 (40.9) |
| Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 13 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 110 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 44 | 40 | 39 | 39 | 52 | 69 | 79 | 79 | 72 | 65 | 56 | 48 | 57 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 291.4 | 243.0 | 229.4 | 249.0 | 238.7 | 183.0 | 114.7 | 139.5 | 204.0 | 229.4 | 240.0 | 279.0 | 2,641.1 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 9.4 | 8.6 | 7.4 | 8.3 | 7.7 | 6.1 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 7.2 |
| Source 1: National Meteorology Agency (average high and low)[21] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: World Meteorological Organisation (rainfall 1981–2010)[22]Deutscher Wetterdienst (mean temperatures 1954–1990, humidity 1957–1982, and sun 1937–1990)[23] Meteo Climat (extremes 1924–present)[24] | |||||||||||||
Sister cities
As designated by Sister Cities International, Gondar is a sister city with:
Corvallis, Oregon, United States- Florence, Italy
Rishon LeZion, Israel
Notable people
- Abby Lakew
- Aster Aweke: singer
- Eténèsh Wassié: singer and Azmari
- Haile Gerima
- Yityish Titi Aynaw: Miss Israel 2013
- Fasil Demoz: Singer
- Liliana Mele: actress
- Fano Mesafint: Fano Dereje: Fano Demeke: Fano Agaye: Fano Selomon: Fano Arega: Fano Mesay: Freedom Fighters
- Tamagn Beyene: Humanitarian and Freedom Fighter
See also
- List of Gondarine churches
- Gultosh – a deserted village near Gondar
- Azezo – a nearby village south of Gondar
Notes
- ^ Based on the BGN/PCGN romanization of Amharic.
- ^ Based on the EAE romanization of Amharic.
References
- ^ a b Census 2007 Tables: Amhara Region, Tables 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4.
- ^ a b "Population Projection Towns as of July 2021" (PDF). Ethiopian Statistics Agency. 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
- ^ http://bjtoursandtrekking.com/tours/index.htm Gondar World Heritage Site
- ^ Richard K.P. Pankhurst, History of Ethiopian Towns: From the Middle Ages to the Early Nineteenth Century (Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag, 1982), vol. 1 p. 117.
- ^ a b c d Getamun, Solomon (2005). History of the City of Gondar. Africa World Press. ISBN 1569021953.
- ^ Munro-Hay, Stuart (2002). Ethiopia: The Unknown Land. I.B. Tauris. p. 69. ISBN 1860647448.
- ^ Sven Rubenson, King of Kings: Tewodros of Ethiopia (Addis Ababa: Haile Selassie I University, 1966), pp.71
- ^ R. Pankhurst, in UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol VI: Africa in the Nineteenth Century p.397
- ^ "Local History in Ethiopia" Archived 2008-05-29 at the Wayback Machine (pdf) The Nordic Africa Institute website (accessed 9 May 2008)
- ^ Marina and David Ottaway, Ethiopia: Empire in Revolution (New York: Africana, 1978), p. 171
- ^ Henze, Paul B (2000). Layers of Time: A History of Ethiopia. p. 322. ISBN 1137117869.
- ^ "Gonder City authorities implicate security forces' involvement in surging crimes of kidnapping for ransom, murder; pledge to crack down". Addis Standard. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 5 September 2024.
- ^ "Gondar population statistics". Archived from the original on 24 September 2018. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
- ^ a b 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Amhara Region, Vol. 1, part 1, Tables 2.1, 2.7, 2.10, 2.13, 2.17, Annex II.2 (Retrieved 29 May 2022)
- ^ "Site - Fassil Ghebbi - Gondar". zamaniproject.org. Archived from the original on 28 September 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
- ^ Rüther, Heinz; Rajan, Rahim S. (2007). "Documenting African Sites: The Aluka Project". Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. 66 (4): 437–443. doi:10.1525/jsah.2007.66.4.437. ISSN 0037-9808. JSTOR 10.1525/jsah.2007.66.4.437.
- ^ Rüther, Heinz (2002). "An African Heritage Database: The Virtual Preservation of Africa's Past" (PDF). International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
- ^ "Gondar Atse Tewodros Airport". Ethiopian Airports Enterprise. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Gonder – Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
- ^ "Climate of City: Gondar". National Meteorology Agency. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
- ^ "World Weather Information Service – Gondar". World Meteorological Organisation. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
- ^ "Klimatafel von Gondar (Gonder), Provinz Gondar / Äthiopien" (PDF). Baseline climate means (1961–1990) from stations all over the world (in German). Deutscher Wetterdienst. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
- ^ "Station Gondar" (in French). Météo Climat. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
External links
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Gondar.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to ጎንደር.
- . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 11 (11th ed.). 1911.
- Ethiopian Treasures – Fasilados Castle, Felasha Village – Gonder Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- Pictures from Gonder
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