ia ). ▁Mon aster ies ▁with ▁immense ▁historical ▁and ▁cultural ▁interest ▁history ▁tell ▁us ▁that ▁lake ▁T ana ▁had ▁been ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁link ▁between ▁Eth iop ia ▁and ▁the ▁ancient ▁world ▁the ▁ancient ▁Greek ▁called ▁it ▁as ▁" Co pper ▁T int ed ▁Lake ' ▁or ▁the ▁j ew el ▁of ▁Eth iop ia ' ▁herm its ▁seeking ▁se clusion ▁from ▁the ▁m und ane ▁world ▁founded ▁early ▁Eth iop ian ▁orth odox ▁Christian ▁monaster ies ▁among ▁the ▁sh ores ▁of ▁Lake ▁T ana ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁different ▁island ▁since ▁the ▁ 4 th ▁century . ▁Me hal ▁z ege ▁saint ▁George ▁monaster y ▁is ▁the ▁pione er ▁among ▁the ▁seven ▁historic ▁and ▁ancient ▁churches ▁on ▁the ▁z eg h ie ▁pen ins ula ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁built ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 3 th ▁century . ▁Women ▁are ▁not ▁allowed ▁entry ▁to ▁some . ▁Be ▁sure ▁to ▁include ▁z ege ▁pen ins ula ▁( which ▁most ▁do ) ▁as ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁monaster y ▁with ▁excellent ▁paint ings ▁here . ▁ ▁The ▁rich ▁for ests ▁on ▁the ▁Z ege ▁Pen ins ula ▁are ▁home ▁to ▁many ▁medieval ▁churches ▁waiting ▁for ▁you ▁to ▁visit . ▁The ▁pen ins ula ▁can ▁easily ▁be ▁reached ▁by ▁boat ▁or ▁b icy cle ▁from ▁Bah ir ▁Dar . ▁ ▁B ete ▁Mary am ▁B ete ▁Mary am ▁Mon aster y ▁located ▁on ▁the ▁Z ege ▁Pen ins ula ▁not ▁far ▁from ▁Bah ir ▁Dar . ▁We ▁chose ▁to ▁stop ▁at ▁B ete ▁Mary am ▁which ▁means ▁"