Tana Qirqos

This monastery island on the eastern side of Lake Tana is among the most sacred in Ethiopian tradition, said to have sheltered the Ark of the Covenant for centuries before its transfer to Aksum. The community preserves ancient relics, manuscripts and stone altars linked to pre-Christian and early Christian worship. Reached by boat from Bahir Dar, the island is home to monks who guard its treasures. As with many Lake Tana monasteries, women are traditionally barred from setting foot on its shores.