Bete Giyorgis (Lalibela, Ethiopia)
Lalibela is a town in northern Ethiopia that is famous around the world for its monolithic rock-cut churches carved from the living rock, which play an important part in the history of rock-cut architecture. The town is one of Ethiopia’s holiest cities, second only to Aksum, and is a center of pilgrimage for much of the country. The Bete Giyorgis or Church of St. George, is one of eleven monolithic churches in the city. Carved from solid red volcanic rock in the 12th century, it is the best known and last built of the eleven churches in the Lalibela area, and has been referred to as “the eighth wonder of the world.” Lalibela, the king of Ethiopia who the city was named after, sought to recreate Jerusalem, and structured the churches’ landscape and religious sites to that end.
Corinthia Hotel Khartoum (Khartoum , Sudan)
The Corinthia Hotel Khartoum is a five-star hotel in central Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, at the confluence of the Blue Nile and White Nile rivers, and in the center of the city’s commercial, business, and administrative districts. The elegant architectural masterpiece of steel and glass opened on Aug. 17, 2008. It has 18 guest floors, 173 rooms and 57 suites, all offering panoramic views of the city and the Nile. The building has an oval curved facade because it was designed to resemble a ship’s sail.
