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Menelik II's Addis Ababa: How Tea and Eucalyptus Built a Capital
Season 3
Episode 134
Published 2 months ago
Description
Menelik II didn't just defeat Italy at Adwa — he built a capital from scratch. This episode traces how a decision in 1886, prompted by his wife Taytu Betul's love for a warm spring, led to the founding of Addis Ababa. We explore the eucalyptus forests that saved the city from deforestation, the diplomatic tea parties where Taytu outmaneuvered European envoys, the railway that never reached its goal, and the forgotten vision of Filwoha. Along the way, we meet Ras Makonnen, the Ethiopian aristocrat who dazzled Europe, and the St. George Cathedral that rose just in time for coronations. A story of urban planning, geopolitics, and the unexpected ways a city finds its soul.