Public Art in Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia. The site was chosen by Empress Taytu Betul and the city was founded by her husband, Emperor Menelik II,  in 1886. In May 1936, Italian troops invaded Addis Ababa during the Second Italo-Abyssinian War and the city became the capital of Italian East Africa from 1936 to 1941. During World War II the British  Commonwealth of Nations and several allies joined forces to oust Italy. Emperor Haile Selassie returned to Addis Ababa on May the 5th, 1941 to begin rebuilding his capital. Today it’s a thriving city.

Public Art in Addis Ababa is very sparse indeed. This isn’t surprising considering the unrest they have endured throughout their history. One of the most recent statues to be erected was that of reggae singer Bob Marley in Addis Ababa. It has unfortunately been recently removed by the road authority for causing traffic jams.