Addis Ababa (which means ‘new flower’) was founded by Menelik II in 1887. It is the third highest capital in the world, at 2,400 metres, and it nestles in the foothills of the Entoto Mountains.

Addis Ababa is an administrative centre not only for Ethiopia but also for the whole of Africa.  It is home to the headquarters of both the Africa Union (previously the OAU) and the UN Economic Commission for . As a result it is a diplomatically cosmopolitan city.

Things to do in Addis

• Mercato
  The largest outdoor market in Africa. Over 100,000 sellers and consumers do business on any given day. More than 1.2 million Birr (about  150,000 U.S dollars) is transacted daily in this market.
• St. Georges Cathedral
  Built in 1896 in the traditional octagonal shape by the Emperor Menelik II to commemorate his victory at Adwa, it is dedicated to the national saint of Ethiopia. The museum houses a wide collection of important religious paintings, crosses of many designs, historic books and parchments, and beautiful handicrafts. There are  paintings by the famous Ethiopian artist Afewerke Tekle.
• The Ethnographic Museum
  A museum about the art and culture of Ethiopia, in the old palace (Genete Leul means paradise of prince) of the late Emperor Haile Selassie.
• The National Museum
  Antiquarian relics and archaeological artifacts showing the history of Ethiopia from prehistoric times to the modern day. Its most famous exhibit is the 3.5 million year old skeleton of Lucy
• The Menelik Mausoleum
  Built in 1911, in the old Baata church, it serves as a tomb for emperors, princes and martyrs of freedom. Built to house the tomb of Emperor Menelik II it also includes the graves of members of his family and the Emperor Haile Selassie.
• Menelik II Square
  In Menelik II Square stands the imposing equestrian statue of Emperor Menelik II, the victor of Adawa. The statue was erected by Emperor Haile Selassie and dedicated on the day before his coronation in 1930, in memory of his great predecessor. The square is located outside the main gates of St. George Cathedral (Genete Tsige Menagesha Kidus Giorgis), and is close to City Hall. The distance markers on all the highways in Ethiopia mark the distance to their location from the base of the statue of Emperor Menelik II in this Square.
• Sightseeing – try to see the statue of Abune Petros commemorating the archbishop executed by the Italian invading troops; the liberation monument at Arat Kilo; the martyrs’ monument at Sidest kilo; the Andinet statue erected in memory of the fallen troops during the invasion of Somalia; and the Lion of Judah erected in front of the Ethio-Djibouti Railway.
• Entoto Museum
  At the top of the Entoto mountain range is the site where Menelik II first established his capital. In the palace compound there is a church of St. Mary where he was crowned. There is a small museum where you can see the drum that announced the march to Adwa against the Italian invasion, the bed used by Menelik while he was in Ankober, and ceremonial dresses of the king & the queen. Further up the hill is the Church of Entonto Raguel which offers stunning views.

See Addis Map