Bete Meskel Church, Lalibela

The chapel of Bete Meskel has been excavated south of Bete Medhane Alem, in the northern wall courtyard of Bete Maryam. Based on the shape of the church, it is difficult to say that it was originally carved to function as a church; instead, it may have served as a treasury for Bete Maryam.

The interior of the church is 11 meters long and 3.4 meters wide. The roof is supported by four rows of pillars that divide the interior into two sections. The southern arcade is similar to that of Bete Medhane Alem.

There are three doors. The door opposite Bete Maryam is decorated with an imitation monkey-head frame at all four corners. The eastern door leads to the church itself. It connects the entrance on the north side with the carved entrance trench in the courtyard of Bete Medhane Alem, and with the western entrance near the Tomb of Adam.

As is the tradition in a few Ethiopian Orthodox monasteries, only men are allowed to enter this church. Women are prohibited from entering. This indicates that the church has a very important monastic significance. Examples of such churches include Debre Damo Monastery, Kibran Gabriel Monastery on Lake Tana, and the old Axum Zion Chapel.