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Meskel Square
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Park
Meskel Square
The main public square of Addis Ababa, renovated in 2021, with parking below
- Area
- Meskel Square
Meskel Square is the main public square of Addis Ababa. It was renovated in 2021 and has 1,400 parking spaces below. Entry is free.
Good for
- Free entry
- Visitors
- Groups
- Renovation finished in June 2021
- 1,400 underground parking spaces
- Meskel festival and Demera bonfire on 27 September
- Six LED screens and 24 shop units
- Free entry
Facilities
- Parking
Meskel Square is the main public square of Addis Ababa. It is at the south end of the city centre, where several main roads meet.
History
The square was first called Estifanos Square. It got the name Meskel Square in the early 1950s, when Emperor Haile Selassie moved the Meskel bonfire there. After 1974 the Derg made it larger and called it Revolution Square. The old name came back in 1991.
The renovation
The city renovated the square in 2020 and 2021. The work finished in June 2021. The square now has 1,400 parking spaces under the ground, six LED screens and 24 shop units.
What happens there
The Meskel festival is held on 27 September. Priests and choirs walk in procession, and a tall bonfire called the Demera burns. The square also holds Timkat ceremonies, concerts, parades, rallies and public screenings of football matches.
Getting there
The Red Terror Martyrs Memorial Museum is at the edge of the square.
Good to know
Entry is free. Roads around the square close on festival days, so walk or leave early.
Reviews
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Frequently asked questions
Is there parking at Meskel Square?
Yes. The square has 1,400 parking spaces under the ground.
When is the Meskel festival at Meskel Square?
The Meskel festival is held on 27 September. A bonfire called the Demera burns on that day.
Is Meskel Square free to enter?
Yes. Meskel Square is a public square and entry is free.
Sources
- Meskel Square, Wikipedia
- Photo: Meskel Square, Addis Ababa.jpg by Radosław Botev, CC BY 3.0 pl, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Addis abeba meskele square.jpg by ምቅ37382, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Demera engulfed in flame Meskel 2013.JPG by Brendan Vaughn (Beevo (talk) ), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Photo: Celebrating the finding of True cross.jpg by Teddy setegn, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Profile last reviewed November 12, 2026.
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Bar or club
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Gym
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Gym
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Living in Addis
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