debre birham selassie

The only Gonderine church to escape destruction by the Sudanese Dervish in 1888, Debre Birham Selassie was founded in 1690 by Iyasu I and is the site of several royal burials.  The current structure was probably built in the 18th century following a fire.  The picture below is of the ceiling inside the church. The people on the bottom left are mourners who spend several days outside the church being fed by friends and sympathisers.