Gondar Castle, The Camelot of Ethiopia

Last Updated on February 12, 2024 by Travelationship

Gondar Castle, Ethiopia

Gondar Castle is not just one castle but the name for an entire complex of palaces and castles in Gondar, Ethiopia. Known by the locals and the guidebooks as the Royal Enclosure. You will find it near the town center and easily located on foot or by tuk-tuk. You might also see it listed as Fasil Ghebbi Palace. One of the most interesting and intact sights we visited while in Ethiopia and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The entire complex takes up some 70,000 sqm, dates back to the 17th century, and is often referred to by historians as the Camelot of Ethiopia.

Begging with the Highlight of Gondar Castle

Upon entering the complex and purchasing your ticket, you will be immediately approached by a person from the local tour guide association. Choosing to have a guide is optional, so don’t feel pressured to hire one. We decided to rely on some text from our guidebook, which likely led to us not getting the whole experience of the site.

The first building you’ll see on your right will be Fasil Gemb or Fasilides’ Palace. The most impressive building in the complex by far. Designed by an Indian architect and is noted for its many blendings of Indian, Portuguese, and Moorish influences. Emperor Fasilides broke the standard tradition of the day and picked one location from which to have his residence, and thus founded and claimed the city of Gondar as his capital. He surrounded his palace with a wall that contained twelve gates, and inside that wall is what is known as the royal enclosure today. Explore the dining halls, reception area, and prayer room in Fasilides’ Palace; keep an eye out for the Star of David reliefs.

Fasilides' Palace
Fasilides’ Palace
Gondar Castle 02
Gondar Castle 03
Behind Fasilides' Palace.
Behind Fasilides’ Palace.

Continuing in the Gondar Castle Complex

After you have finished with Fasilides’ Palace, the kitchen, and steam bath buildings, look for the remains of the Palace of Iyasu I. Mostly a shell, it is still interesting to walk among the ruins and imagine what once was. We headed past the Library that has since been plastered over by the Italians, which was closed, to Fasilides’ Archive. Only the tower and walls remain from the archive, but you can climb the stairs and get a peek of the grounds from a higher elevation.

Can you find Heather on her way to the Palace of Iyasu I.
Can you find Heather on her way to the Palace of Iyasu I?
Inside the remains of the Palace of Iyasu I.
Inside the remains of the Palace of Iyasu I.
Gondar Castle
The Palace of Iyasu I with Fasilides' Palace in the background.
The Palace of Iyasu I with Fasilides’ Palace in the background.
Gondar Castle
The Library on the left.
The Library is on the left.
Fasilides' Archive from the tower.
Fasilides’ Archive from the tower.

Earthquakes and wars have taken their toll on the Royal Enclosure. As we winded our way to the remaining buildings in the north, there was less and less to see. You can still get an idea of the long Banqueting Hall, Mentewab’s Castle, and the Lion Houses. The buildings in the north don’t have the same substance or explorable area as the ones in the south, so it feels like you brush over them.

Gondar Castle
Gondar Castle

Know Before You Go:

  • They only accept cash for tickets
  • Bring a bottle of water as there is no place to purchase one inside
  • Visitors can only hire official guides from inside the enclosure. That being said, hiring a guide is not mandatory.

Travelasics:

  • The complex has one entrance and one exit. The entrance is near the southernmost point of the complex (farthest from the town center) and the exit to the north, creating an intentional traffic flow.
  • The Royal Enclosure is open daily from 8:30-12:30 and then again from 13:30-18:00. I would not bet the farm on the facility keeping these hours precisely. Give yourself some leeway on your visit; that should only take about two hours.

Travelationship Rating:

3 out of 5 Travelationship High Fives. If you like adventure, history, or bucket lister travel, you will like Gondar Castle.

While it is pretty amazing to find a castle in Africa, this is one of the most intact sites we came across in Ethiopia. It was missing the wow factor of many other forts we visited. Most structures were gutted or closed—almost no sign in any language.

Want to see another must-visit from Gondar? Come with us here. Looking for more on Ethiopia, head here.

Gondar Castle

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14 thoughts on “Gondar Castle, The Camelot of Ethiopia”

  1. Hi, I thank you for visiting and expressing your experience in Gonder Castle. As an Ethiopian, I proud of such historical sites. To express my point, I don’t think Gonder Castles are influenced by European way of building up to the level of exact resemblance. For instance, Gonderians were able to use local ingredients like eggs as cohesive materials to build the castles. I don’t think Europeans used such kind of ingredients.
    I am also amazed by the way Gonderians built steam baz, lion cage, swimming pool, balcony, etc.
    Thanks

    Reply
  2. Just returned two months ago. You were there at the right time…the tower was obstructed by scaffolding. Your black and white images are really outstanding. I wish we had slowed our tour down. Thanks for the memories.

    Reply
    • Hello Sally, Thank you for your kind words. I can not tell you the number of times I have looked back on our trips and wished we had slowed down. While I am sorry the tower was obstructed on your visit, I must say I am pleased to know they are looking after their treasure. Happy Travels and thanks for stopping by. -Matt

      Reply
  3. you should be ashamed for propagating archaic racist european lies about the origins of Fasilides castle. there’s no genuine evidence whatsoever of indian/portuguese design or influences anywhere in the castle complex. it’s a completely unsubstantiated notion that certain people want to believe in the face of hard evidence and research studies to the contrary. are you also the type to say that The Great Zimbabwe wasn’t built by blacks…? disgraceful.

    Reply
  4. It does look truly incredible and I love the B&W photography. Yeah, isn’t it funny how after you’ve seen a certain number of sites, life Spanish forts or ancient castles, that some don’t wow you as much as you’d hope? I found this to be true of Buddhist temples too. 🙂

    Reply
    • Thanks, I think we will be using more B&W in the future. Yes, the more sights you see, your “wow” line just moves. It doesn’t mean you are don’t like it, it just means there are ones you like more.

      Reply
  5. I would never have thought there to be architecture like this in Ethiopia. Stunning building, interesting story and this is definitely one of those occasions where the black and whites have enhanced it all.

    Reply
    • Thanks, Taylor. Ethiopia was a great place to visit, and we look forward to going back. So much history, culture and outdoor adventure to be discovered. We have really liked our travels through different countries in Africa, but some countries we did better with than others. We learned we need to travel slower in places that may challenge our emotional and mental boundaries. We need to take the time to process it all instead of letting it all build up into a meltdown later. Lessons learned while traveling 🙂

      Reply

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