Historical orientation of Yohannes IV Palace in Mekelle, Tigray State, Ethiopia, from the aspects of planning and building techniques

Abstract

The Yohannes IV Palace, located in Mekelle, the present regional capital of Tigray, Ethiopia, was constructed in the 1880s supervised by the Italian craftsman Giacomo Naretti. This study aims to clarify its historical orientation by analyzing its location, planning, and building elements, by considering Naretti’s contribution, the building’s relationship with local masonry buildings, and the characteristics of the preceding Ethiopian palace quarters. Through the research activities, it becomes clear that the palace’s locational characteristics are in common with the preceding Ethiopian palace sites, especially Gonder. Its planning methods are similar to that of the former residential site of Yohannes IV, which was constructed without foreign builders. Its basic building elements were derived from the former Tigray’s church buildings. Although these results suggest that the palace was a local product of the Ethiopian emperor Yohannes IV, the contribution of Naretti was also evident in more detailed elements of the palace such as the use of elaborate materials, decorative wooden works, stone arches, plaster, and its symmetrical appearance. These design achievements were most likely realized through Naretti’s observation of the local building techniques and the natural environment, and his training of the local craftsmen during his stay in Ethiopia from 1871.