Tesfaye Zeleke (PhD)Tsegaye Ebabey2024-01-222024-01-222023-06https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/1432Most of Ethiopia’s ancient heritage tourism resources in general and the hypogea churches in particular in the remote areas are poorly traced, documented and conserved. This study aimed to explore the untapped potential heritage tourism resources and heritage conservation status of hypogea churches in Lay Gayint Woreda, northwest Ethiopia. To this end, data were collected through field observations, questionnaires, interviews, and examination of written sources. The study followed descriptive research design with qualitative research supplemented by quantitative approach. The result shows that the woreda is endowed with little known monolithic and semi-monolithic types of hypogea churches that hold different tourist attraction values. From environmental perspective, the churches have made a contribution by preserving remnants of protected sacred forests in a highly exploited area. Historically, some of the hypogea churches are attributed to Abune Muse, probably the second bishop of Aksum, and others to King Lalibela, the famous king of Zagwe Dynasty. Architecturally, the rock-hewn churches, with varying degrees, possessed different decorative and aesthetic embellishments, some of which shared similarities with the Aksumite and post-Aksumite architectural traditions. Despite this, the conservation practices on these sites are insignificant. The hypogea churches are deteriorating because of natural and anthropogenic agents. This status of the churches shows the current critical heritage management problems that challenge the future heritage tourism development of the woreda in particular the country in general. This study recommends urgent conservation practices for the sake of sustaining these incredible cultural legacies for the future generation.enCultural heritage tourismhypogea churchestourist attraction featuresconservation practicesLay Gayint.Thesis