The Cistern at Danqas
The Cistern at Danqas, the semi-permanent capital of Emperor Susenyos, built 1619. Influenced by Jesuit, Portuguese and Indian architecture. Sitting on top of a plateau 2800m above sea level, to collect water in the wet season. It is worth the 20km journey along a dirt/rocky road and a trek across beautiful Ethiopian countryside.
The cistern/reservoir is lined with the original hydraulic lime plaster. The mortar was made hydraulic by the addition of a rich silica Diatomaceous Earth, an off white talc-like powder that is the silica enriched, fossilized remains of marine phytoplankton, collected to the east of lake Tana.
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