德布雷·比尔汉·塞拉西教堂坐落在埃塞俄比亚贡德尔东北部的山丘上,海拔约2130米。作为1979年入选联合国教科文组织世界遗产名录的法希尔盖比(Fasil Ghebbi)建筑群的重要组成部分,它以天花板上135个长着翅膀的天使头像闻名。教堂始建于17世纪晚期,由当时的皇帝伊亚苏一世(Iyasu I)下令修建。这里是贡德尔唯一一座在1888年马赫迪战争中幸存下来的教堂,当时的战火摧毁了城内几乎所有宗教建筑,唯独这里因传说中的神迹而躲过一劫。
走近这座教堂,你会发现它并没有贡德尔城堡那种咄咄逼人的气势,反而像是一位温和的长者。伊亚苏一世在1682年至1706年统治期间,原本想把阿克苏姆的约柜迎请回贡德尔,但遭到神职人员拒绝。于是他模仿耶路撒冷圣殿的理念修建了这座教堂,其名字在当地语中意为光之山的圣三一。虽然原本的圆形建筑在18世纪毁于雷击,但随后重建的矩形石木结构却成为了埃塞俄比亚东正教艺术的最高峰。
贡德尔曾拥有44座教堂,但在1888年遭到苏丹马赫迪军队的血腥劫掠。说来神奇,当士兵们举着火把靠近德布雷·比尔汉·塞拉西教堂时,据说一大群蜜蜂突然从天而降,疯狂袭击侵略者。与此同时,大天使米迦勒显灵在沉重的木门前挡住了敌军,使得这座艺术宝库成为当时废墟中唯一的幸存者。直到今天,当地信徒讲起这段往事时依然深信不疑,这份自豪感也融入了教堂斑驳的石墙之中。
推开沉重的木质大门,视线会不由自主地向上移动。天花板上由数百块木板拼成,上面密密麻麻画满了135个长着翅膀、大眼睛的切鲁宾天使头像。这些天使的神态各不相同,有的在沉思,有的在守望,无论你站在大厅的哪个角落,总感觉有几十双温和的眼睛在注视着你。这种被神灵全方位观察的感觉,正是17世纪埃塞俄比亚艺术家哈伊莱·梅斯克尔(Haile Meskel)想要表达的上帝无处不在。因为年代久远,其中大约有13个头像因漏水而有些模糊,但这并不影响整片天花板带来的视觉压迫感。
教堂四周的墙壁上布满了典型的贡德尔第二风格壁画。这里没有空白的角落,每一寸空间都讲述着圣经故事。你可以留意一下北墙上的圣乔治屠龙图,那是埃塞俄比亚最受欢迎的题材。西墙上则画着极其阴森的地狱场景,与天花板上的神圣形成鲜明对比。这些画作大量使用了红色、黄色和蓝色的天然矿物颜料,历经三百年依然色彩浓郁。建议带着头灯或强光手电进去,因为室内光线昏暗,只有几扇极小的窗户透进微光,很多精妙的笔触在黑暗中很难看清。
教堂距离贡德尔市中心的法希尔盖比城堡大约两公里。从市区打一辆当地的蓝色三轮摩托车(Bajaj),车程只需10分钟,车费通常在50到100埃塞俄比亚比尔之间,记得先跟司机谈好价格。门票建议购买贡德尔景点的联票,如果单独购买,针对外国游客的价格约为200至300比尔,建议随身携带小额现金。参观的最佳时间是上午8点到10点,此时阳光斜射进门洞,能照亮大厅内侧的壁画,避开了下午5点后光线迅速变暗的尴尬。
作为一处仍在使用的宗教圣地,礼仪问题马虎不得。进入教堂院落前必须脱鞋,入口处有看鞋的小孩,离开时给个5到10比尔的小费即可。男女游客的入口是分开的:男性通常从正门或北门进入,女性则需走南门。穿着上务必保守,不要穿短裙或露肩装,建议带一条浅色大围巾包裹头部或肩膀,这既是对传统的尊重,也方便你在风沙较大的高原地带防尘。室内禁止使用闪光灯拍照,如果想拍摄精美细节,最好带一个大光圈镜头。
如果不只是走马观花,建议预留40到60分钟。其中20分钟专门用于欣赏天花板的天使头像,另外20分钟可以请一位当地神父做讲解。目前教堂依然保持着早晚祷告的传统,如果遇到宗教仪式,建议保持安静并在外围观察,不要近距离干扰信徒。
两者距离仅约2公里,如果你体力尚可,沿坡道步行25分钟就能到达。不过考虑到贡德尔海拔超过2000米,空气稀薄,步行上坡可能会比较喘,花点小钱坐三轮摩托车是更明智的选择。建议将法希尔城堡安排在上午,午餐后稍作休息再来参观这座教堂。
可以拍照,但绝对禁止使用闪光灯,因为强光会加速17世纪古老壁画的褪色。如果你带了摄像机,可能需要额外支付约75比尔的拍摄费。建议将手机或相机的ISO调高,利用自然光拍摄,由于室内光比很大,对焦天花板时需要多试几次。
Zeliha Günes Looks boring on the outside but extraordinary on the inside. Ask a priest to open the gate for you and you can sit from different angles and enjoy the beautiful graphics on the walls and ceiling of the church. Gonder is definitely safe to visit in 2024 (we visited in march) if you just fly to here and back because roads for busses are blocked due to the armed conflict.
CK Cheong Extraordinary church dating back to 17th century but was re-developed in 19th century when original was destroyed. The exterior is beautiful and rustic and the interior is filled with stunning colourful murals. Marvelous church with lots of local history, culture and flavour. Definitely worth a visit to see something that is unique
tadlo tesfaye Was interesting, unforgettable movement, amazing place and fell to good, peace. Debire Birhan Selassie Church, meaning 'Trinity and Mountain of Light' is the most famous place of worship in Gondar. On approach, twelve rounded stone towers - representing the 12 apostles - stand stoically guarding the church, as they have done for centuries. The 13th tower, the tallest of the bunch, represents the Lion of Judah. Eagle-eyed visitors can see an imprint of the Lion on the top half of the tower. Originally built in the 17th century by Emperor Eyasu II, the present structure was redeveloped during the 1880s following a raid by marauding Sudanese Dervishes and lightning strike that reduced the original building to rubble.
Master Mind An ancient and beautiful church with full of wall and roof painting known for its second Gondarian style. The biblical scenes are vividly remarkable and the interior paintings cover the walls and ceilings in richly applied red, blue and golden hues. Subjects include the Holy Trinity – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, seated above Christ on the Cross. There are a lot of stories attached with these paintings. It is an Stone building
Mal333 This is a stunning traditional church in Gondar. Externally the church has beautiful stone walls and wooden arched doors. But it is the internal areas that are particularly interesting, with extensive sacred Ethiopian art. This is where you will find the original paintings of angels on the ceiling. You are also likely to see an Ethiopian Orthodox Church priest clothed in white with a hand cross.