Ethiopia's Imperial Palace opens its doors for the first time

For over a century, the hidden imperial palace complex loomed above Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, restricted to only the nation's leaders and their military guards.

Nestled in seclusion on a forested bluff, its 40-acre grounds were concealed from even those living in its shadow. Inside its walls, political intrigues, military campaigns, and dark secrets were carried out.

Elite soldiers in red berets, armed with AK-47s, stood guard at watchtowers along the compound's edge. Pedestrians were forced to walk on the opposite side of the road, and even broken-down vehicles had to be moved away from the area.

The soldiers are still stationed at their posts, but the long-held secrets of the palace are now being revealed after the renovation of a section that has served as the residence of Ethiopia's rulers since Emperor Menelik II's reign.

Locals and visitors are now invited to explore Unity Park, a 15-acre space created within the former palace grounds. While it remains the official residence of the prime minister, the land has been returned to the city of Addis Ababa.

"It's amazing to finally step inside. As an Ethiopian, I never knew what was hidden here," says Akilu Fikreselassie, an urban development specialist with the United Nations. "It shows people they have access to their leaders, fostering trust. The park will also transform the city's urban landscape."

The park's opening represents not only a shift away from an authoritarian past but also contributes to ongoing efforts to beautify a rapidly growing city, home to five million residents and an explosion of new construction.

Despite its lively qualities, Addis Ababa is a sprawling concrete jungle where green spaces for locals and weary travelers to escape the constant noise are scarce.

Orange hippos

"It’s truly impressive," said Michael Raynor, the U.S. ambassador to Ethiopia, during a tour of the park at its October inauguration. "This is a valuable new asset for the community. Addis has long lacked the kind of open spaces any major world capital should have."

The park features a mix of landscaped open spaces, restored palace buildings, and animal enclosures. Its design exudes a sense of fun and eccentricity, offering a stark contrast to the palace's darker history, which saw plots of purges and prisoners enduring torture within its walls.

Today, quirky sculptures and even orange hippos partially submerged in the grass decorate the path that leads from the entrance to the rising grounds toward Menelik's palace complex, where he reigned from 1889 to 1913.

Behind the Throne House, which houses the golden filigree headgear of Menelik and other former emperors like Lil Eyasu and Haile Selassie, lies a network of restored buildings where Menelik and his family once lived, now revitalized with careful restoration and fresh coats of paint.

Among Menelik's private quarters is a raised walkway leading to the 'Egghouse,' an elaborate tower adorned with intricate woodwork along its winding stairway.

Around it are Empress Taitu's living spaces, as well as other buildings that once housed princes, princesses, and guests who came to pay their respects or seek the emperor's favor.

Throughout the rooms, bathed in the bright Addis sunlight streaming through the windows, are various historical artifacts, including Menelik's curved swords, his umbrella and fly swatter, along with panels providing historical context.

Across from the Throne House lies an open space featuring various amenities such as restaurants, a bookstore, and cafes offering traditional Ethiopian coffee brewed the slow way or served quickly using high-end Italian coffee machines.

"It's significant to be part of this opening," says Selome Tadesse, owner of the Addis-based Emoles coffee chain, which uses the quicker brewing method. "It’s meaningful from both a historical perspective and in introducing a blend of tradition and modernity for the new generation, which is a positive development."

Tadesse admits that the rush to prepare for the inauguration day was intense, and shares that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the driving force behind the project and recent Nobel Peace Prize laureate, visited the café personally to check on her progress.

Shabby military camp

A nearby sculpture garden in the impressionist style features nine pavilions, each representing one of the country’s nine regions and celebrating the vibrant culture and traditions of Ethiopia's diverse and historically rich heritage.

The palace grounds have come a long way from their days as a rundown military camp with dull office buildings during the 1970s under the rule of Mengistu Hailemariam, leader of Ethiopia's military junta. Back then, the banquet hall and surrounding palace buildings were boarded up and abandoned.

The renovation efforts saw experts flown in from Gujarat and Punjab in India, who played a key role in restoring the banquet hall, as they had also participated in its original construction.

Ethiopia's summer rainy season, particularly intense in recent years, posed challenges for the large-scale landscaping and restoration work. As a result, on inauguration day, not all the animals had been relocated, and some finishing touches were still underway in the park.

However, no further work was needed to perfect the breathtaking view of Addis Ababa's skyline.

From the park, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view of high-rise buildings and construction cranes scattered across the sprawling city, which sits on rolling hills bathed in bright, high-altitude sunlight. Addis Ababa, at 2,300 meters above sea level, ranks as one of the world’s highest capitals, framed by the dark outlines of distant hills.

The zoo also features a variety of animals, including wild dogs, cheetahs, lions, baboons, monkeys, flamingos, and an aviary. A special enclosure is dedicated to the Abyssinian Lion, native to Ethiopia, with its distinctive black mane. This enclosure is designed to mimic the lion’s natural cave habitat.

A 175-meter tunnel runs through the park complex, offering visitors an opportunity to get an up-close view of this iconic Ethiopian resident.

At the inauguration, a group of ushers distributed bright yellow Meskel flowers to arriving guests, with mixed opinions about the park's opening.

Tumultuous history

'It’s beautiful, I love it, and I’ll definitely return with my friends,' says 21-year-old Mettie Edessa, who mentioned that she’s already made reservations for her friends through the park’s online booking system, as daily visitor numbers will be capped.

Her colleague, 24-year-old Kalkidan Kedir, shared that seeing the park once was probably sufficient for her, admitting that a recent advertising campaign made it seem more appealing than it actually was, though she noted, 'That always happens.'

A few kilometers away lies the Jubilee Palace, the former residence of Emperor Haile Selassie, marked by the iconic stone Lions of Judah at its entrance. This palace now serves as the residence of Ethiopia's current president, Sahle-Work Zedwe.

Plans are in place for the president’s residence to relocate to the Imperial Palace complex, where the president will join the prime minister, while the Jubilee Palace is set to open to the public in the first half of next year.

Despite Ethiopia’s thriving tourism sector in recent years, the ongoing civil unrest across the country—though Addis Ababa remains largely unaffected—and related media coverage may explain the absence of many foreign visitors in the city.

Mid-October marks the beginning of Ethiopia’s peak tourist season, now that the heavy rains have subsided, replaced by days filled with brilliant sunshine.

The goal is to revitalize the tourism industry in one of the world’s most fascinating countries through projects like Unity Park, as Ethiopia works to move beyond the scars of its tumultuous past.