Raesi Araya Castle in Feleg Daero stands as a distinguished example of late 19th to early 20th-century Tigrayan aristocratic architecture. Originally commissioned by Raesi Araya and later renovated or rebuilt by Dejazmach Abraha Araya, cousin to Emperor Yohannes IV, the castle reflects the architectural aspirations of regional nobility during Ethiopia’s imperial era—combining fortified design, elite residential planning, and symbolic landscape placement. Perched on elevated terrain just outside Mekelle, the structure offers both defensive advantage and commanding views over its surroundings, while its interior spaces display refined craftsmanship in wood, masonry, and spatial hierarchy.

Amanuel Maego is a monastic church in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, situated at a site also known as Debre Medhanit(Monastery). The current structure, built in the 1960s, follows traditional Tigrayan architecture, featuring dry-stone masonry walls and a flat hidmo-style timber roof. Though partially destroyed by recent conflict—including artillery damage to the roof and sanctuary—the church remains an important spiritual and architectural landmark. Its elevated position offers clear views toward the historic Nejashi settlement, reinforcing its cultural significance in the wider sacred landscape.

Ch’eleqot (Cheleqot) Holy Trinity Church, located about 17 km northwest of Mekelle, stands as one of Tigray’s finest examples of traditional circular church architecture. Commissioned in 1793 by Ras Wolde Sellassie (1745–1816), the church is renowned for its vibrant fresco paintings by Haleqa Hailu, which depict biblical scenes and royal imagery reflecting the political and spiritual vision of its patron. Constructed using local stone, timber, and earth, the building exemplifies the technical mastery of late-18th-century artisans.

A typical Hidmo house compound in Kwi’en represents the vernacular domestic architecture of the Tigray highlands. Built primarily from locally sourced stone, timber, and earth, the Hidmo structure is characterized by its flat earthen roof supported by heavy wooden beams and round stone walls. The compound usually includes a main living unit, storage spaces, animal enclosures, and open courtyards, reflecting a functional integration of household and agricultural life. Its spatial layout and construction techniques demonstrate deep environmental adaptation, social organization, and continuity of traditional craftsmanship within the rural cultural landscape of northern Ethiopia.