Lalibela is best known as the king who ordered the construction of 11 monolithic stone churches found in the town today. Lalibela is a pilgrimage site for members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church; the church itself is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela". Lalibela’s goal was to create a new Ethiopian Jerusalem, and he recreated many biblical scenes, such as the stable, out of carved rock. Of all the churches of Lalibela, in Ethiopia, the one dedicated to St. George is certainly the most scenic and best preserved and is considered the most beautiful by the many tourists who come here every year to admire it. Bet Giyorgis, that literally means the "House of Saint George", is in an isolated position with respect to the interconnected complexes of the other rock churches of Lalibela; the fact of being by itself is a characteristic that makes it unique and immediately recognizable; moreover it is undoubtedly the most famous and iconic of the churches of this monumental complex. The Bete Giyorgis is by far the most spectacular of these churches. Carved out of the ground, and shaped from the inside out, it is one, unbroken piece of stone. Bete Giyorgis is connected to the other sunken stone churches through a series of elaborate tunnels.
