Architecture of Churches in Lalibela, Libonos, and in France

Reading Response
Name
Institution
Course
Professor
Date
Reading Response Jarzombek, M. (2016). A connection to India? Lalibela and Libonos, the king and the hydro-engineer of 13th century Ethiopia. In M. Angélil, & D. Hebel (Eds.), Cities of change, Addis Ababa: Transformation strategies for urban territories in the 21st century (pp. 77-79). Birkhäuser.             In his article, A connection to India? Lalibela and Libonos, the king and the hydro-engineer of 13th century Ethiopia, Jarzombek (2016) discusses the significance of water in 12 rock-cut churches in the city of Lalibela in Ethiopia. The location of the churches on top of a plateau, which had a constant supply of water, is perceived to be a marvel of architecture due to the technical expertise required at such a location. The water tanks or pools located in the churches were made to serve a religious purpose with people traveling over great miles to worship at the churches. Further, the carving of the churches and the development of the water features are suggested to work concurrently and bound to each other (Jarzombek, 2016). Libonos is hypothesized to have been a significant figure in the architectural and aqua-engineering of the site due to one of the churches paying tribute to him.             From this article, the ingenuity of the structure in Lalibela shows the deep cultural history of the region. It played a crucial role in preserving the economic existence of the city due to its ability to attract more people to visit the region. Additionally, its religious symbolism was also evident based on its location as a sacred pilgrimage site. Incorporating the two elements provides an overview of the unique sense of mutually beneficial systems that worked in tandem. Moreover, the use of talents from beyond the Ethiopian borders showed a collaboration that appreciated the talents of other groups of people with different cultures. The ability to incorporate Indian designs into the city also showed their prowess in hydro-engineering. Thangavelu, S. (Aug 29, 2011). Architect...