Bete Amanuel (Emmanuel church) has a pinkish-red color and is smoother than other Lalibela churches. Many scholars agree that it is the most beautiful and finest of all churches of Lalibela. Some of them suggested that Bet Amanuel was the royal family’s private chapel. It is 12m high, 18m long, and 10m wide. It is a monolithic church. The structure is completely freed from the surrounding trench at a depth of 24 meters. Bete Amanuel’s Architectural style mimics the wood and stone buildings of the ancient Axum style. In a similar way to the cave church of Yimrehane Kristos. Yimrehane Kristos is a church built inside a natural cave, the wall of the churches is made using a projecting and recessing alternating layers of wood and stone though Bete Amanuel gets this kind of shape from the carving the Rock.
Certainly, the controversial heavyweight shelter Erected by UNESCO has done more damage than good to protect the church. Besides, the most elegant view of the church is marred by the massive structure. Urgent and competent conservation and restoration work is required. However, there seems to be little progress towards this goal at this time.The church is supported by eight columns running in two rows in the east-west direction. Four of them are complete, but the rest are three sides. To the southwest is a lower gallery, accessible by a rock staircase leading from the side room. The double Axumite frieze in the nave is a very striking feature from the inner parts. Holes found in the bottom of the church lead to the churches of Bet Merkorios and Bet Gabriel-Rufael through long underground excavations. Find the holy bee’s nest outside the church. It is believed that honey has special healing properties. The legend of Lalibela is related to the flock of bees and swarm him completely when he was born. Lalibela means “honey eater”.
The Main Entrance is on the west side of the courtyard. This can be reached through a long rocky passage leading to the entrance. Or there is another access in the right corner of the southwest. It comes from Bete Merkorios in the southwest. This path goes through serious steps. The third path enters from the east side of the courtyard through a hole that leads to several steps. The other entrance is on the east side of the courtyard which passes through a group of churches in the north and a huge incision leading to the south. Through massive rock cuts that also connect to Bete Aba Libanos.
