Hayik Estifanos Monastery is believed to be first founded as a church during the reign of Emperor Dil Naod (916-926) by the Egyptian Aba Selama, who was the archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and later elevated to a monastery in the 13th century. It is one of the most historically iconic and paramount monasteries in Ethiopia.
The monastery houses different priceless antiquities donated by different Emperors, holy articles, and several parchment manuscripts, different stones and wooden carved tablets that are displayed in the museum. Taking a look at the lake stretched surrounding the monastery, the attractive natural landscape, birds flying down to the lake in search of their food and to the trees and flocking over the lake and fishers’ stylish rowing over the water together make visitors feel an exceptionally splendid pleasure.
Recently the number of domestic and foreign tourists coming to the site is increasing. Hence, there are currently two standardized recreational resorts giving services by the shore of the lake. The monastery lies on the peninsula and can be reached on foot from the town. Women are not permitted to enter the monastery but may visit the adjacent nunnery of Margebeta Giorgis, which was reputedly founded about 800 years ago.
