VisitTigray

There are hundreds of rock hewn churches over the mountains of Tigray . The rock hewn churches are found in sand stone escarpments; and in the surrounding of stone built villages and cave churches in Gheralta, Timben, Hawezien, Atsibidera, Genta Afeshum, and Wukro and in many other places. They vary from their modifications of roughly hewn out, beautifully elaborate wall murals and they are hidden in valleys, cliff faces and, mountaintops.
They predates Lalibela to 4th century even more. The town of Hawizen is the base in exploring these churches in any direction. Some of these churches are found in mountains areas, difficult for ascent; and others are famous for their stone workmanship, ancient paintings and manuscripts.
The most numerous clusters of churches, carved into the rocky face of the mountains are found in the Gerhalta area, that lies to the south of Hawizen. Such great churches as Abuna Yimata, Mariam Korkor, Daniel Korkor, Debre Tsion, Yohannes Maequddi, Abraha Atsebha, Abuna Gebre Michael, and Silasse Degum are in the very heart of this cliff.