[3]: 115  The churches are said to have been built during the Zagwe dynasty, under the rule of King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela[4] (r. ca.

1181–1221 AD),[5] although it is more likely that they evolved into their current form over the course of several phases of construction and alteration of preexisting structures.

[8] The rock-hewn churches at Lalibela are made through a subtractive processes in which space is created by removing material.

There has been a lack of adequate communication and sharing of information regarding project plans between the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage (ARCCH) and the local committee and church.

[11] With funding from the EU, four shelters were erected in 2008 to cover five of the site's churches in an attempt to provide a temporary mode of protection for the structures until a more long-term solution could be decided upon.

[12] However, the shelters have remained in place now for far longer than they were meant to stay standing, and now consequently pose serious dangers to the buildings underneath as they threaten to collapse due to their heavy weight among other factors.