English subtitles for clip: File:Lalibela - Monolithische Felsenkirchen (CC BY-SA 4.0) .webm

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The eleven rock churches of Lalibela
are located in the highlands of Ethiopia.

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The complex has been a UNESCO
World Heritage Site since 1978.

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The rock churches are not
built of loose stones.

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Ingenious architects came up
with different shapes.

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Then the churches were carved out
of the rock in the 13th century.

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The Bet Giyorgis
(the house of Saint George)

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is carved in the shape of a cross.

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The stonemasons must have
worked from top to bottom,

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so that no scaffolding was needed.

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After the top floor was carved
from the rust-colored tuff,

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the windows were started.

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So they dug in and brought out
the excavated stone.

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No mistakes should be
made with this method.

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If too much stone is removed,
it is difficult to correct.