Bahir Dar

Bahir Dar

Bahir Dar is the capital of the Amhara Region of Ethiopia. It is one of Ethiopia's leading tourist destinations, with nearby Lake Tana and the Blue Nile River as its many attractions. Its wide boulevards lined with palm trees and a variety of colorful flowers are well known. For meeting the challenges of rapid urbanization, the city received the UNESCO Cities for Peace Prize in 2002. The settlement was originally named Bahir Giyorgis. Bahir Darnak had between 1200 and 2000 inhabitants between 1810 and 1900 and was established locally as a monastery and trading hub. During the 19th century, Bahir Dar was frequented by Belgian, French, British and Italian travelers, who alternately described it as a village or a town. The city is located at the Abbay exit of Lake Tana at an elevation of 1820 meters above sea level, some 578 km north-northwest of Addis Ababa. The Lake Tana area has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 2015. The Lake Tana Monasteries, a collection of ancient Ethiopian Orthodox churches situated on small islands off the shores of Lake Tana, are the city's landmark. The Monasteries are one of Amhara's 5 UNSECO heritage sites and a favorite tourist attraction. They are known for their stunning murals depicting early Ethiopian art styles. The Blue Nile Falls are found about 30 kilometers to the south of the city.