Addis Ababa city (lit. meaning new flower) has as many as 80 nationalities speaking 80 languages, and Christian and Muslim communities. Addis Abeba is located about 2,500m above sea level and has a population between 4 and 5 million which makes it by far the nation's largest city.
Addis Ababa is an official diplomatic capital of Africa with more than 90 embassies and consular representatives, which makes it the fourth diplomatic center in the world. Addis was chosen as the Headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in 1988. Addis also houses the Headquarters of the then Organization of African Union (OAU) and now Africa Union (AU) since 1963.
Addis Ababa has several monuments of which the most prominent and historical are the following, which many times as you will see is dedication to the many heroes of Ethiopia, who stood to defend the society against the colonialism:
The statue of the Lion of Judah, repatriated from Italy as recently as the 1960s and now standing in a square facing the Franco Ethiopian railway terminal.
Adowa (or Menelik's) Square, where stands an imposing statue of Emperor Menelik in full military regalia and astride his equally legendary steed, Dagnew. The statue commemorates Ethiopia's astounding victory over the Italians at the Battle of Adowa in 1896.
Yekatit 12 Square (or Sidist Kilo) is the location of Yekatit 12 Martyr's monument, an obelisk that was dedicated by Yugoslavia (itself victim of Fascist occupation) to commemorate the martyrs massacred by Grazziani on Yekatit 12, 1929 (February 19, 1937 G.C)
Liberation Square (Arat Kilo), monument to commemorate the liberation of Ethiopia in 1941, again from the invading army of Mussolini's fascist army and the victorious return of Emperor Haile Selassie.
Abuna (Bishop) Petros Square, where stands a life size statue of Abuna Petros, who was publicly executed at the same spot, for inciting the people to resist Italian attempt at colonizing Ethiopia.
A monument of Emperor Tewodros, recently inagurated and is located in a Square bearing the name of the hero of Maqdala, with A replica of the Sebastopol, the canon the Emperor had had fashioned during the Battle of Maqdala against the Napier Expedition is.
Menelik's mausoleum (built in 1911), houses the tombs of Emperor Menelik, his wife, Taytu and his daughter, Zewditu, who was Empress of Ethiopia prior to Emperor Haile Selassie
Trinity Cathedral (built in 1941), houses the remains of the late Emperor Haile Selassie, since only some two years back.
Addis Ababa National Museum, houses the most precious and historical artifacts, documents, paintings, handicraft work, traditional costumes, etc., representing the mosaic of cultures that Ethiopia quite literally is.
Addis Ababa University (main campus), former palace of Emperor Haile selassie and house to the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, accommodates the Library, with one of the biggest collection of books, and an archive with numerous historical documents on Ethiopian history and cultures, as well as the Ethnological museum. The museum houses among other things the former Emperor's bedroom, with his bed made as it used to be when he lived there, and some of the precious gifts he received from foreign heads of state visiting then.
