The Bath of Fasilidas in the valley of the Kaha River is a 70 × 40 meter basin, inside of which a small pleasure palace rises on pillars. Emperor Fasilidas had the moated castle built in the large basin in the 17th century. Fasilidas is said to have once bathed in the basin. Although it is described as a bathing facility, the Bath of Fasilidas was probably built for special celebrations.
Towards the end of the Gondar period, the pleasure palace was finally converted into a church.
Timkat Festival
Every year on January 19th, the Bath of Fasilidas is the central location for the Timkat Festival, the festival commemorating the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan.
For the Timkat Festival, the entire Fasilidas Basin is filled with holy water from the nearby river. The Bishop of Gondar consecrates the water by dipping his carrying cross into it. The believers then bathe in this holy water in ecstasy and with liturgical chants. Orthodox Ethiopian Christians celebrate the festival in their colorful cloaks. Priests adorn themselves with church crowns and brocade-decorated parasols.
On the eve of Epiphany, priests from all churches carry the holy "Tabot tablets" into the castle to venerate the shrines containing replicas of the two tablets of the law of Moses. On the actual day of the festival, church dignitaries gather around the tablets, sprinkle the believers present with holy water and renew the tablet vows. Before the tablets are returned to the churches, the church followers walk through the town in extensive processions singing, praying and dancing.