Adwa

Adwa is a city in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia, not far south of the border with Eritrea. The small village of Yeha is in the same area and its ancient temple is a bigger drawcard than anything in Adwa.

History
The invading Italian Army was defeated by Ethiopian defenders at the Battle of Adwa in 1896. The Italians returned under Mussolini in 1936 and managed to defeat the Ethiopian Army, in the process killing numerous civilians while sustaining heavy losses. Five years later, the Italians were kicked out of the country for good.

By car
Adwa is 22 km east of Axum, the nearest city, by sealed road. It is west, and much further, from Adigrat.

By plane
Axum Airport is between Adwa and Axum. There are daily flights from Addis Ababa, Gondar and Lalibela.

By bus
There is a daily bus from Mekele via Abi Addi.

Get around
Minibuses run to Yeha, taking 50 minutes and costing 13 birr. Be prepared for a bumpy ride. The last one back to Adwa leaves at about 4pm.

Buy

 * Cheap souvenirs and strange treasures are available for sale from children outside the Yeha temple/church complex.

Sleep
There are several hotels in Adwa.

Go next

 * Axum to the west
 * Adigrat to the east
 * Hawzien to the south
 * Mekele further to the south