Asmara · ER

Enda Mariam Orthodox Cathedral

Enda Mariam Orthodox Cathedral is the seat of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church and one of Asmara's most visually arresting landmarks. Its name means "House of Mary" in Tigrinya, and the building itself tells the story of two architectural traditions meeting: Italian rationalist design layered onto the ancient Aksumite technique of alternating brick and stone courses, with protruding timber "monkey head" beams breaking through the walls. The current structure dates from 1938, when an unknown Italian architect added the upper portions of its two massive flanking towers and gave the facade a modernistic treatment on top of the earlier 1920 design. Mosaic panels adorn the towers, and the building is cited among Asmara's major religious landmarks in the city's 2017 UNESCO World Heritage inscription.