Lalibela , Ethiopia ( CNN ) -- It 's 4 o'clock on a Sunday morning when a trail of figures dressed in white emerges from the deep darkness . Quietly , the summoned crowd makes its way down a cluster of ancient structures as the slow beat from traditional skin drums beckons . It 's a common scene here in Lalibela , a small town in northern Ethiopia that 's home to 11 spectacular churches carved both inside and out from a single rock some 900 years ago . The chiseled creations have turned this mountain town into a place of pride and pilgrimage for worshipers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church , attracting 80,000 to 100,000 visitors every year . `` It is one of the very important places for the Ethiopian Orthodox Church people , '' says local guide Fikru Woldegiorgis , who 's lived here most of his life . `` There is a belief that Lalibela pilgrims share the same blessing as pilgrims to Jerusalem , '' he explains . `` They have to come at least once in a lifetime . '' And they come from all over . Even though Lalibela sits in a remote region of Ethiopia , the faithful will walk for days , even weeks , to get here , many of them traversing the rugged mountains barefoot . Amongst them , blind men and women and people with disabilities also join the pilgrimage , making their way along Lalibela 's winding , hilly roads to reach the sacred site . `` What makes the Lalibela churches important is that they are still in use , '' says Woldegiorgis . `` It 's not a museum ; it 's a living heritage . Every day , every morning , there is a service in all the churches . '' Brimming with spirituality . Ethiopia is home to one of the oldest Christian churches in the world , dating back to the early fourth century . The Ethiopian Orthodox Church used to be a part of Egypt 's Coptic Church , but established its own patriarch in 1959 . Today , nearly two thirds of the East African country 's population is Christian , with most belonging to the Orthodox Church . Read this : Will African coins rewrite Australian history ? Nowhere does the spirituality of the church 's followers echo louder than in Lalibela . The town is brimming with devotion ; throughout the churches ' compound , you 'll find worshipers leaning against the structures , kissing the age-old rock walls , praying quietly or reading religious texts . `` They come early to get the blessing -- because it 's such a big deal , every inch of the place is packed , '' says Aba Gebreyesus , the priest who presides over all the churches in Lalibela . `` People are so happy with the blessings they get here , they come here without any prompting and spend their nights and days at the church . '' Distinctive monuments . The medieval structures were commissioned by King Lalibela , of the Zagwe Dynasty , which ruled much of the country back in the 12th century . There are several stories surrounding the creation of the churches , one of which says that humans worked during the day and angels would speed up the building overnight . Some historians say construction was completed at a remarkable pace , taking about 23 years . Watch this : Why do Rastafarians love Ethiopia ? Carved out of volcanic tuff rock , the famous churches have been built in a variety of styles . Some of them were chiseled into the face of the rock , where others stand as isolated blocks , like the iconic church of Saint George , constructed in the shape of the cross . A complex and extensive system of drainage ditches , tunnels and subterranean passageways connects the underground structures . Alebachev Retta , an 86-year-old church scholar who has studied in some of Ethiopia 's holiest cities , explains what makes these churches so distinctive . `` They are different because they were built from the top down , '' he says . `` Everywhere in the world , structures are built from the ground up , '' he adds . `` There is nothing comparable in the world . '' Living legacy . Thanks to their impressive architecture and rich influence on Ethiopian Christianity , the churches have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1978 . Five years ago , UNESCO decided to erect protective coverings to shield four of the churches from the elements . The shelters may be unsightly , but experts say they are critical to preserving the integrity of the churches . In recent years , a conscious effort to develop Lalibela 's infrastructure has also brought further attention to this remote place , leading to the arrival of even more pilgrims and tourists . Retta says he 's seen positive changes in Lalibela over the years . He says he 's especially content with how it 's become a worldwide tourist destination . `` One , because the country 's culture should be shown , and secondly , many poor people in the area are being helped , '' he says . `` Everyone is making a living through the tourism business . It 's great ; without the tourists , there is no salary for anyone . If the tourists stopped , everything will stop . '' But that does n't seem likely , as visitors keep on coming to Lalibela 's churches . And although the sacred sites provide a solid foundation for the faithful , it 's the followers themselves that ultimately breathe life into these ancient rock walls .
Small town of Lalibela is a religious and pilgrimage center in Ethiopia . Lalibela is famous for its 11 rock-hewn churches built 900 years ago . It attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year . The church was originally constructed by the Ethiopian Emperor Menelik II to honor his wife Queen Dewi Mariam, who died giving birth to their son King Yohannes IV.