The history of Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, formally begins with the founding of the city in the 19th century by Ethiopian Emperor Menelik II and his wife Empress Taytu Betul. In its first years the city was more like a military encampment than a town. The central focus was the emperor’s palace, which was surrounded by the dwellings of his troops and of his innumerable retainers. In the 1920s, Addis Ababa experienced a significant economic upturn, marked by a surge in the number of middle-class-owned buildings, including stone houses furnished with imported European furniture. The middle class also introduced newly manufactured automobiles and expanded banking institutions. Urbanization and modernization persisted during the Italian occupation, guided by a masterplan aimed at transforming Addis Ababa into a more "colonial" city, a trajectory that continued beyond the occupation. Subsequent master plans, formulated from the 1940s onward with the input of European consultants, focused on the development of monuments, civic structures, satellite cities, and the inner city.
Prelude
Regarding the foundation, Mount Entoto has been a watershed for establishment of Addis Ababa. Addis Ababa is surrounded by Entoto to the north, Yerrer to the east, and the most prominent Menagesha to the west. The area generally served as a garrison town of which generals allocated an encampment (safar) to settle troops.[4] According to Wolde-Mariam (1976), urbanization faced formidable problems due to large-scale conflict with warlords, which converted into garrison town.[5]
Before the advent of Addis Ababa, there were many sites in the surrounding areas that had been used as temporary capitals for the Kingdom of Shewa. Ankober, a site about 160 km north of Addis Ababa, served as the capital of the kingdom of Shewa during the second half of the 18th century. As evidence, the ruins of the palace are still found on the lip of the great escarpment, which is popular in its breath-taking view. The village of Aliyu Amba, which was the most important market center of the Shewa Kingdom, is also located below Ankober palace at one of the broken hills. Other areas, like Wechecha, Yerrer and Entoto were also temporarily used as capitals of the Shewan Kingdom.[6][7]
Menelik, as Negus[nb 1] of Shewa, had found Mount Entoto a useful base for military operations in the south of his realm. In 1879, Menelik visited the reputed ruins of a medieval town and an unfinished rock church that showed proof of an Ethiopian presence in the area prior to the campaigns of Ahmad Gragn. His interest in the area grew when his wife Taytu began work on a church on Entoto. In addition, Menelik endowed a second church in the area.
In 1881, Menelik moved the capital of Shewa from Ankober to Entoto.[8] A relocation of imperial nobilities and armies shaped political atmosphere. In addition, there was also a categorization of the imperial army at the time; fitawrari, loyal to Menelik's expansionism, thrusts to the west and south; on the right wing of the army, to the north, lay the safar of his powerful generals and his cousin, Mekonnen; on the left wing, to the south, lay lesser generals and to the east protect the rear of army lay the palace of dejazemach or commander of rearguard. Between them were scattered subordinates and lesser nobility.
Major safar was expanse that delimited rival army and prevents from potential clashes. Other factors that give boundary was the presence of streams and deep gorges, including the Kebenna, Kechene, Qurtume, and a small Akaki River. There were also a marketplace in the mid area led by Negadrass and was home of foreign elite community; mostly French, Armenians and Indians citizens. The original land charter identified safar besides parishes (atbiya) into division into sections. However, with the presence of military, safar always important than atbiya for locating the city.[citation needed]
SOURCE: WIKIPEDIA
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