Zege Peninsula

At present, Zegé is part of Bahir Dar city administration, and is 32 km from the main town, the capital of Amhara National Regional State.

Informants from Ura Kidane Mehret monastic church, one of the earliest church in the peninsula, associated the term to Debra Zegag and Abba Nahom; whereas some monks who were servants of Mähal Zegié Giyorgis attributed the term to Zengie (my shaft) and to Abun Betre Maryam, founder of Zegie monastery.

This monastery is of real historic interest, housing brightly coloured ceremonial robes, a 16th-century painting of the Madonna and the mummified remains of five Ethiopian emperors, displayed for visitors to view in modern, glass-sided coffins.

Tana Cherkos is a small island monastery where it is said the Ark of the Covenant was hidden for 800 years before being brought to its final resting place in Aksum.

The Zege peninsula, which is covered by a dense tropical forest and of mainly by the endemic plant of coffee, is situated to the south west edge of lake Tana some 20 km on land and 15 km on water from the town of Bahir Dar (the capital city of Amhara Regional state of Ethiopia).

Hermits seeking seclusion from the mundane world founded early Ethiopian orthodox Christian monasteries among the shores of Lake Tana and on the different island since the 4th century.

Mehal Zege Giyorgis monastery is the pioneer among the seven historic and ancient churches on the Zeghie peninsula and was built in the 13th century.

According to the hagiography, the founder was Abune Betre Mariam, one of the seven stars (Ethiopian saints) who had devoted their entire life to expanding the monasteries on the islands and shores of Lake Tana.

Its sisterly Abune Betre Mariyam churches possess a museum with icons, mural paintings, crowns crosses, vestments, illuminating manuscripts, and others.

The monastery is highly decorated with beautifully painted, colourful and vibrant frescoes depicting Ethiopian saints and the history of the Ethiopian-Orthodox Church.

Its interior is decorated with numerous murals painted between 100 and 250 years ago; subjects include Negus Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam and his followers.