Hayk Estifanos Monastery

Northern Ethiopia

LoginSave

The museum at Hayk Estifanos Monastery, on a long peninsula 4km northeast of town, dates from the mid-13th century and was founded by Abba Iyasus Moa. Between the 13th and 15th centuries it was among Ethiopia’s most important monasteries. It’s open to men only, and the church building is modern and ordinary, so overall it’s really only worth a visit if you have a serious interest in Ethiopian churches.

The museum holds the oldest-known manuscript to record its own date (the book of the four gospels produced for the monastery between 1280 and 1281) and other items such as Moa’s stone cross and various cooking utensils.

To reach here involves a 20- to 30-minute walk or boat ride (Birr400 to Birr600) from the end of the road by the lakeshore.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Monday Market

    Monday Market

    24.32 MILES

    Attracting up to 10,000 Afar, Oromo and Amhara, and even some traders from Djibouti, this market is epic. It’s Ethiopia’s largest after Addis Ababa’s…

  • Dessie Museum

    Dessie Museum

    16.19 MILES

    If you've a little time to kill, the Dessie Museum has old weapons forming the core of its varied collection.

View more attractions

Nearby Northern Ethiopia attractions

1. Dessie Museum

16.19 MILES

If you've a little time to kill, the Dessie Museum has old weapons forming the core of its varied collection.

2. Monday Market

24.32 MILES

Attracting up to 10,000 Afar, Oromo and Amhara, and even some traders from Djibouti, this market is epic. It’s Ethiopia’s largest after Addis Ababa’s…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting: 
    {
  "url": "ethiopia/hayk/attractions/hayk-estifanos-monastery/a/poi-sig/1424861/1330712",
  "destination": "Northern-Ethiopia",
  "continent": "Africa",
  "country": "Ethiopia",
  "region": "Northern-Ethiopia",
  "position": "superzone"
}