Emperor Yohannes Palace
- Emperor Yohannes' palace
Emperor Yohannes' palace dominates the city. Majestic in design and handsome in size, the palace is the city's main attraction. It also serves as city's museum, where one can see, among the other things the Emperor's throne, royal beds, dresses, artifacts and rifles.
Abreha Castle
- Abraha castle Mekelle
MARTYRS' MEMORIAL MONUMENT AND MUSEUM
This 51m long martyrs' memorial monument is found at the western side of the city. A war memorial, the Hawlti represents the 17 — year straggle of the people of Tigray against the dictatorial military junta (DERG) that ruled the country with iron fist. Various types of armaments used during the early stages of the war, photo graphs and historical documents are on display in the museum beneath the monument. The Hawlti also includes a world class conference center with all its facilities. The Hawlti is the city's land mark.
- MARTYRS' MEMORIAL MONUMENT AND MUSEUM
ASHENDA GIRL'S CARNIVAL
Ashenda is a unique Tigrayan traditional festival which takes place in August to mark the ending of fasting called "Filseta". This event is mostly for girls and young women, which they await very eagerly every year. The name of the festival "Ashenda" comes from the name of a tall grass that girls make into a skirt wear it around their waists as a decoration.
The young women and girls dress the best traditional dresses called "Tilifi (ጥልፊ)" which is a cotton dress decorate with amazing embroidery from the neck to toe in front of the dress. The girls also adorned themselves with array of beautiful jewelry.
After they gather in the village or city center, they divide into small groups and they go from house to house singing, dancing and playing their drums to deliver their good wishes. They stop at every house and sing and dance for the people in the houses. It is customary for people to give them money food and drinks and other itmes for their efforts. They continue the whole day going from house to house and occasionally stopping in a village or city center and singing and dancing for a while before they go on their tour.
A week or so after the celebrations started, the event comes to an end with all the girls from the village singing and dancing until sun down. This time the young boys join in more like spectacular than active players. It is not only to admire the girls but for a more serious motive. This is a wonderful opportunity to select a wife! The lovely girls are aware of what is in progress and put on not only their best apparel but personality as well. Mekelle is considered the best place to be on the Carnival of Ashenda.
CHELEKOT SELASSIE CHURCH
This church is found 17 kilometers away from Mekelle. Seated in the middle of the valley at the foot hills of the famous mountain, Imba Aredom, another battle ground of the war against colonial aggression, Chelekot is a tiny village of enormous historical heritage. Known for its ecclesiastical and royal treasures, Chelekot Selassie is the church from which the village's significance springs. Believed to have been built in the late 18th or early 19th century, the church is famous for its amazing paintings, manuscripts and church treasures. It also a repository of several artifacts donated by different kings and international travelers. Notable among them is the gilt tankard the 19th century traveler Henry Salt had donated to Ras Woldeslassie of Tigray. Nathaniel Pears lived in Chelekot for nine years before writing his book, Travels and Adventures in Abyssinia. Chelekot Selassie is also the site where the wife of Ethiopia's famous king - Emperor Tewodros - was buried. Itege (Empress) Tiruworq died shortly after the Emperor had committed suicide refusing to surrender to the British army.
- Silasie Chelekot church where wife of King Tedros & Mum of Prince Alemayehu Etege Tiruworq was buried