2. Gondar
Background
• After the rise of Islam in the middle east there followed
almost one thousand years when Christian Ethiopia was
more or less isolated from the outer world.
• The effect was strengthened by the surrounding belt desert
scrub and true desert.
• The war between Mohamed Gragn and Ethiopian
highlanders around 1527-1543 resulted in the destruction of
much of the Christian medieval architectural heritage in
Ethiopia.
• While the Ottomans were helping the Muslims The
Portuguese were assisting Christian Ethiopia during the war.
3. Gondar
• Until the 16th century, the Solomonic Emperors of
Ethiopia usually had no fixed capital.
• One exception to this rule was Debre Berhan, founded
by Zara Yaqob in 1456
• Before Fassiladas came to power Emfraz, Ayba,
Gorgora and Dankaz flourished as cities for a short
time.
4. Gondar
Foreign influence and local contribution in Gondar architecture
• Jesuit missionaries
• The Jesuit father Pedro Paez supervised the construction of
the cathedral and castle in Gorgora for Emperor Susniyos
in 1621
• The Jesuit fathers brought a number of Indians as
craftsmen and assistants to help them realize their projects.
5. Gondar
• After the war with Gragn the Portuguese soldiers had
been assisting the king in construction
• They introduced some new methods by working
themselves and also through Indians
• They thought the locals
- the arts of burning lime,
- preparing good mortar,
- constructing true masonry arches.
6. Gondar
• Gorgora, Gomange, Guzara and Gannata Iyasus; former
cities of the royals.
• From site to site, the royal residences follow the same
general architectural pattern: quadrangular castles in
stone and mortar, with adjacent cisterns to maintain a
permanent water supply, surrounded by roughly circular
walled compounds surmounted by cylindrical towers with
egg-shaped tops
7. Early structures of the Gondarian style(16th
century)
1. The palace at Guzara
• Belongs to king Sartsa Dingil
• Constructed around 1570.
• A two story rectangular
building with two round corner
towers topped with domes
• It has a battlement parapet
wall at roof level, with a small
vision of the building acting as
a third story
8. Early structures of the Gondarian
style(16th century)
• Stone an mortar were used for the masonary wall, and
curved stone employed for the construction of arched
windows and dores.
9.
10. Early structures of the Gondarian
style(16th century)
2.Martula Maryam
• Located in the Gojam district of Mota
• stand the tall ruins of the ancient rectangular
church dating from the time of King Susneyos
• The three-nave building started by the Jesuit
missionary Bruno Bruni and Brother Juan Martinez
(the architect of the Jesuits) in 1628
11. Early structures of the Gondarian
style(16th century)
• Indo-Portuguese decorative art
• The bas-reliefs and other stone decoration
in the altar area and around the windows
and chapel doors are of Western Catholic
origin, as are the anthropomorphic corbel
figures.
12. Early structures of the Gondarian
style(16th century)
3.Gorgora palace
• Situated on a small peninsula on the northern side of
Lake Tana, in the region of Dambya.
• Between 1611 and 1618, Gorgora became the royal
camp of King Susneyos
13.
14.
15. The Gondar period
• Gondar was founded around 1635 by Emperor Fasiladas.
and grew as an Agricultural and market town.
• Five years after his coronation he started the construction
of his grand palace
16. Gondar
• After the restoration of peace and the steady
establishment of trade routes, Gondar emerged as the
new capital of Christian Ethiopian kingdom
• Taxes collected from the trade routes
• Existence of commerce and craftsmanship creates
employment for the urban population
• Its inhabitants engaged in different occupations
- merchants
- craftsmen(mostly builders)
- clergy
- servants
- palace guards and farmers
17. Gondar
• During the seventeenth century, the city's population is
estimated to have exceeded 60,000
• Gondar traditionally was divided into several
neighborhoods or quarters: Addis Alem, where the
Muslim inhabitants dwelled; Kayla Meda, 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
18.
19. • Much more local in character.
• Design is often non-symmetrical in Gondar Architecture
• If the principal originators of the castles and churches at
Gondar had been Portuguese immigrants or Jesuit
missionaries from Portugal, Spain, and Italy , the style
would have been more like contemporary Baroque
architecture in Europe.
Gondar style
20.
21. Characteristic features
• Batelements
• Most of the gondar castles are not in the first place real
castles of fortresses rather imposing palaces serving as
symbols and as useful spaces for the imperial court.
Battlements for real defense
(open parts narrower than
protecting parts; mostly in
Europe
Battlements mostly for
decoration and visual
expression of power; in Gondar
22. Characteristic features
Arches
• Arches in Gondar architecture are semicircular or sometimes
lower(but never higher) than a circle
• They often stand out visually by being of a different and more
easily cut kind of stone,
• Wine read instead of black stone or light plaster as for the walls
23. Characteristic features
• Types of arches
1.The simplest case
- a window is made by 3
straight stone slabs
2. The normal arch
3. A more elaborated arch
4. Windows as slots
25. • Social hierarchy is reflected in the settlement pattern
of the city as a whole.
• Pyramidal development symbolizes the hierarchy….
The city character of Gondar
26.
27. The Imperial compound of Gondar
• The great palace of Fasilladas was used for ceremonial
occasions by subsequent kings
• Both emperor Yohanis(1667-82) and Emperor Iyasu I
(1682-1706) continues to construct buildings in Gondar
• The imperial compound is subdivided into small
enclosures, with the main areas serving ceremonial, state
and other functions
• The large space in front of the Fasiladas palace was an
adebabay (Public Square)
• The palace faces Lake Tana and the nearby Jan Tekel
square.
28. The palace complex
The Imperial compound
Approximately (1640-1750)
Fasil Palace
Tsadiku Yohannes Palace
Iyasu Palace
Dawit Palace
Bakafa Palace
Mentuab Palace
29. The Imperial compound of Gondar
• The use of raised platforms and bridges indicate that the
royal family preferred to be segregated from the ordinary
inhabitants of Gondar
• Every monarch after Fasiladas who built a structure
followed a strict northward sequence
32. The Imperial compound of Gondar
• The last Palace in the compound was built by Queen
Mintwab who was an important patron of the arts,
spending most of her time building castles and churches.
• She purchased a vast area of land from land lords
• She built her new palace and the church of Dabra
S’ahay (Qwsqwam).
33. The Imperial compound of Gondar
The palace of Fasiladas
• One of the possible models for his palace is the castle at
Guzara
• It was an imposing structure of four storeys, the height of
the building being about 32m.
• The walls at ground level are more than a meter thick,
• Built of basaltic rubble
• It took about 6,000 cubic m. of stone, sand and
limestone for the walls, and large number of timber for
the beams, floor planks, window and doors
35. The Imperial compound of Gondar
• The main entrance stairway rises to the 1st floor on a
north –south axis, and has a storage space under it.
• The depth of each thread is 31cm with a width of 3m.
• According to oral traditions the Emperor employed
Turkish and Portuguese-Indian craftsmen who were
brought over for the construction work.
36. The Imperial compound of Gondar
• Arched window and door openings were built of reddish
volcanic tuff, which was curved and brought from a
quarry around Qusquam.
37. The Imperial compound of Gondar
The palace of Emperor Yohanis and his Library
• A very small and humble structure
• Not too much decorated
38.
39.
40. The Imperial compound of Gondar
The palace of Iyasu I
• His palace is known as the saddle castle, for the shape
of its roof supported by arches.
43. The Imperial compound of Gondar
The palace of Emperor Dawit II
• The palace is famous for its large internal dancing hall.
44.
45. The Imperial compound of Gondar
The palace of Emperor Bakafa
• A stable for horse of noble people is located next to the
palace creating a long courtyard
46.
47. The Imperial compound of Gondar
The palace of Mintwab and he son Eyasu II
• Famous for its decorations at the entrance
48. The Imperial compound of Gondar
• The 12 imperial compound gates
1. Jann Tekel Ber-Imperial Gate
2. Wember Ber- Gate of the Judges
3. Teskar Ber- Funeral Commemorations
4. Azash Tukure Ber- secret Gate of Azash Tikur
5. Adenager Ber (Kob Astel)- Gate of the spinners
6. Quali Ber
7. Imbilta Ber(Balderas Ber)- Gate of the flute player
8. Elfign Ber- Gate of private chamber
9. Ras Ber(Kwarenyoch Ber)- of high persons
10.Kechin Ashewa Ber(erigib Ber)- of priests
11.Inqoye Ber
12.Gimja Ber
52. Bath of Fasiladas
Bath of Emperor Fasiladas (built from 1662 to 1667)
• located outside of the imperial compound
•The walled compound with the large man-made pool
• Is situated in an open plain where large crowds of
people can gather for parades and ceremonies.
56. The castle of Ras Mikael Sihul
• Probably the last castle in Gondar outside of the Imperial
compound
57. Church of Debra Berhan Selassie
• Architecturally important church which was never
destroyed and is still existing.
• it is known for its painted ceiling with the many heads of
angels
