📍 Jimma, Oromia
The hilltop seat of the Kingdom of Jimma, built in the 1860s and still standing at Jiren.
Before being incorporated into the central Christian empire of Ethiopia, Jimma was the strongest of the five autonomous Gibe kingdoms of the Oromo people, under the leadership of Abba Jifar Abba Gomol - best known as King Abba Jifar, and known by his Islamic name as Sultan Muhammad Dawud Ibn Ibrahim.
Towards the end of the 1860s King Abba Jifar built his palace at Jiren, at a cost of 400 kilograms of gold and 65,000 Maria Theresa coins. It still stands today with its unique architecture. Within the palace compound are four other buildings: the public mosque, the mosque of Abba Jifar, the residential palace of Abba Jifar, and the residential building of Abba Jobir Abba Dula, the grandson of Abba Jifar. Jimma Museum displays most of the surviving historic material of the king and his kingdom.
Entrance to the palace complex is covered, and an expert heritage and history guide takes you through the site.
The tour covers the royal quarters and their carved architectural woodwork, both mosques inside the compound, and the residence of Abba Jobir Abba Dula, followed by access to the historical collection at Jimma Museum.
A cultural briefing on the Oromo Gibe kingdoms and the rise of Jimma under Abba Jifar sets the context before you walk the site.
Not included: commercial photography and filming permits, souvenirs and traditional crafts, and guide gratuities.
Travel with community-owned guides who know every trail and story. Your visit directly supports conservation and local livelihoods across the region — part of what makes Oromia’s abundance possible.
