Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion

This complex of churches in Aksum is among the holiest sites in Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity, traditionally believed to house the Ark of the Covenant in a closely guarded chapel. The oldest church dates to the era of King Ezana in the fourth century, though the present buildings include a rectangular structure from the seventeenth century and a large domed cathedral added under Haile Selassie. Emperors were once crowned here. Only a single appointed guardian monk may enter the chapel said to hold the Ark.