Dessie recent comments:

Fasika Hotel... Fasika Hotel is located on the busiest part of Dessie.The hotel might be slightly the worse for wear,but the rates are good and the rooms,overlooking a courtyard accessible through a doorway on a side-street,are big and clean,and bathrooms are equipped with sink and shower with functioning water heater and a toilet with a powerful flush. The restaurants in the hotels of Dessie are all highly rated for their food and service.The Fasika's restaurant is especially recommended for its breakfasts,and the "egg with meat"("enqulal be siga)-a mixture of scrambled egg,minced meat,peppers and onions-is a treat...

The Historic Mezgebe Miheret Mariam Church... The history of church construction in Dessie is as old as the history of the town.After his conversion to Christianity Ras Michael's attachment to the new religion is believed to have been so strong that he devoted much time and money to the construction of churches in Dessie and other parts of Lakomelza.Consequently,four churches made their appearance in Dessie during the time of Michael. The Debre Medhane Alem Church was the first church to be constructed on the orders of Michael.This church located on a hill north of Michael's Gibbi over looking the Borkenna river,was built in 1912.That same year Michael ordered the construction of the Gennete Giorgis Church in the southern most section of Dessie. In 1913 Michael constructed a small thatched roof edifice behind his palace for the ark of St.Mary.Thus came in to picture the present-day Mezgebe Miheret Mariam.Not long after wards the church was enlarged on the order of Michael.In 1916 the ark of St Mary accompanied Nigus Michael who made his way to Addis Ababa for the final showdown with the Shewan forces.It was captured by the victorious Shewan army at the battle of Segele along with the Nigus himself.Subsequently,the ark was taken to Arada Giorgis Church in Addis Ababa where it remained for a few years.Later, a former administrator of Mezgebe Miheret Mariam named Memiher Welde Iyesus requested the regent Ras Teferi Mekonnen to permit the return of the ark to Dessie.This request was accepted and Memiher Welde Iyesus brought the ark to Dessie in August 1923.The site of Mezgebe Miheret Mariam is the best location to observe the panoramic view of Dessie...

During the period of Italian occupation,Italian firms and individual merchants opened various hotels,restaurants and butcheries.An Italian state-controlled hotel chain,Compagnia Immobiliare Alberghi Africa Orientale(CIAAO) built a twenty-eight room hotel with a restaurant for one hundred guests.This was the famous Touring Hotel-the present-day Ghion Ambassel Hotel.

The Historic Shewa Ber Mosque.... Owing to the dominant political discourse of the time Muslims of Dessie were not allowed to build even a single mosque until about 1932.The Arab Genda mosque was the first mosque to be established in Dessie.The second mosque in the history Dessie was the Shewa Ber mosque which is located in southern Dessie on the way to Addis Ababa.Its early origins are hidden in the dim past where legend and tradition are interweaven with history.According to available primary sources the construction of the mosque started in 1940 with money obtained through public subscription and workforce provided by the Italians who were encouraging Islam for political reasons. The construction was disrupted following liberation.There was also a financial problem.Thus,elders approached the wealthy Eritrean businessman Uthman Kikiya to finance the completion of the construction.Kikiya agreed to do so. However,there was a division among Muslims on the issue of allowing Kikiya to finance the construction.Kikiya was a Tigre from Eritrea.Thus,some Wolloyes did not want to see their mosque constructed by a Tigre.Others argued that all Muslims were brothers,thus,whether a Tigre or an Amhara constructed the mosque was not important.Finally,a meeting was held in 1942 which approved the completion of the construction by Kikiya.Consequently,the construction of the mosque was completed in 1943. The Shewa Ber Mosque occupies a unique place in the life of the Muslim community in Dessie. Its significance and position for the Muslim community has been such that even today it takes a leading role in all the religious activities of the community. The decisions made by the Mosque committee on various religious issues based on the consensus, deliberations and agreement of the various Imams of the many mosques in Dessie, and the Ulema, held regularly within its auspices and premises have, generally, been accepted by most of the Muslims in the whole region.

The Dessie Museum... Across from Ayteyef,the hill beside the roundabout at the southern end of Dessie(between the road arriving from Addis Ababa and the road descending into the town)is the location of Dessie Museum.The museum occupies one of the town's oldest homes,which was built in the early 20th century by a local aristocrat named Dejjazmach Yosef Biru.As you walk up the winding path from the roundabout,do not be deterred if the building looks shut.There should be a curator lurking somewhere who will unlock the premises and give you a tour inside. The rooms have an air of dilapidation,as do some of the exhibits-the stuffed animals and the models representing village life in feudal times are visibly decayed-but it's difficult to dislike a place with such an eclectic range of exhibits.The bones,fossils and ancient manuscripts;sculpted panels from the Revolutionary period(1974-91),artifacts belonging to Nigus Michael,Emperors Tewodros II,Menilik II and Haile Sillassie I;weapons captured from the Italians during the Battle of Adwa and more recent weapons supplied by the Soviets;farming tools,pottery,handicrafts and ethnic costumes on display can hardly be said to share a common theme,but most of the material is very interesting. $0.85-the curator will explain things in English and is present 0830-1200 and 1400-1730,except on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. The Dessie Museum is an interesting look at Dessie's history... Don't pass up the chance to visit this valuable piece of Dessie-Lakomelza's history!!!

Jibruk:a Symbol of Italian Racial Apartheid... During the period of Italian occupation all major trading activities in Dessie were practically dominated by Italian enterprises.The establishment in Dessie of Banco di Roma in December 1936 and that of Banca d' Italia gave considerable stimulus to the expansion of trade in the town.In addition to its banking services,Banco di Roma,the most active bank in Dessie, is said to have organized the merchants of Dessie for the establishment of Mercato Indigeno(Indigenous Market).The bank gave the necessary fund to the merchants for the construction of the market building in the form of a loan and a building was constructed at a total of two million lire in 1939.This market building is the present-day Jibruk or Mugad Supermarket....

The Historic Nigus Michael School... In 1930 a four-class-room school named Weizero Siheen-the first government school in the Lakomelza Governorate General(Wollo Teqlay Gizat)-was opened at Salayish.During the period of the Italian ocupation(1936-1941) this school was left for the indigenous children while the Catholic school was attended by white children. The need for a more breathing space led for the transfer of the Weizero Siheen School from Salayish to its present-day location near the Debre Mehane Alem Church in 1946/47.The former Weizero Siheen school became the Nigus Michael Elementary School("Ewqet Chora")...

The famous and historic Weizero Siheen School... The first modern school in Dessie made its appearance in 1929 when the French Lazarist Missionaries opened a school in northern Dessie.This was the present-day Catholic Church KidaneMeheret Comprehensive Elementary and Secondary School.A year later a four-class-room school named Weizero Siheen-the first government school in the Lakomelza Governorate General(Wollo Teqlay Gizat)-was opened.During the Italian period the former school was attended by white children while the latter one was left for indigenous children. On account of the increasing number of the student population,it was felt that an additional building should be constructed for the Weizero Siheen School.Lack of enough space for expansion in the old site-Salayish-made it necessary to move the school to a new site.Thus,the construction of a new building in the heart of the town,near the Medhane Alem Church under a Greek contractor named Muse Hector was completed in 1946/47.In July 1948 the school was inaugurated by the Crown Prince Meried Azmach Asfa Wosen Haile Selassie and started function in September of the same year. In 1957 a secondary section was opened at theWeizero Siheen School. In July 1962 His Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I inaugurated the new vocational building of the Weizero Siheen School.As of September 1963 the Weizero Siheen School began offering technical education,the first of its kind in the country.

The Historic Ayteyyef Hall... The town of Dessie has a couple of features of cultural interest.On a hill top overlooking the southern entrance to the town is a large hall called Ayteyef.Following his coronation as King of Tsiyon Michael sought to have a big and permanent banquet hall.This led to the construction of the famous and historic Ayteyyef hall.The hall,which is 27 meters wide and 47.27 meters long,was constructed in 1914-15.The construction involved some Indians and several Arab masons and carpenters.The prominent Arabs who gave their service to this task were Sheykh Abdallah,Sherif,Ali,Bazra'a,Ismail and Bahakim.As a reward for their services Nigus Michael gave them a place to reside at Chiqaw Mender(muddy hamlet) which,after their settlement,has been known as Arab Genda(Quarter of Arabs).The composition of the hall is unusual,with its blocks cemented together by a mixture of lime,egg-yolk and rye flour.However,the hilltop is now the site of a military installation and access to Ayteyef is restricted...

Dessie,the principal urban settlement in Lakomelza(Wollo),is one of the relatively older towns in Ethiopia which came in to being in 1886.Dessie is located 400 kilometers north of Addis Ababa on the Asmara highway.It is surrounded by the imposing Tossa mountain that overlooks the town in the west and rises to 3000 meters.The eastern side of the town is hilly with an average elevation of about 2400 meters and constitutes a series of ridges of the eastern escarpment of the north-western highlands of the country.

It is great,If U put pictuer of every highligth place.A lot of people like to see that. I was born and grew-up in dessie.I love dessie.

yane hayder bete