Holy Trinity Cathedral is worth a visit for its history as much as its architecture: an emperor and empress, a prime minister, a president, famous artists and a British campaigner all rest in and around this domed church near Arat Kilo. Before you go, know that foreigners pay an entry fee, shoulders and knees should be covered, shoes come off inside, and photography is banned near the government compound behind the church.

It is also an easy stop to combine with others. With Ethiopia Driver, a family-run private driver service in Addis Ababa, the car drops you at the gate and waits while you visit, then takes you on to the next place.

Why is Holy Trinity Cathedral important?

Known in Amharic as Kidist Selassie, it is the highest-ranking Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo cathedral in Addis Ababa, and it is widely ranked as the second most important place of worship in Ethiopia, after the Church of St Mary of Zion in Aksum.

Emperor Haile Selassie founded the cathedral in 1931. Work stopped during the Italian invasion and occupation, and the building was completed in 1942, after liberation. It was dedicated to the memory of those who resisted the occupation, which is why so many patriots are buried in the churchyard.

Who is buried at Holy Trinity Cathedral?

Inside the cathedral, Emperor Haile Selassie and Empress Menen Asfaw lie in massive granite tombs. The emperor died in 1975 in the custody of the Derg, the military government that overthrew him, and was reburied here in November 2000, 25 years after his death.

The churchyard is full of well-known names, including:

• Sylvia Pankhurst, the British suffragette and anti-fascist campaigner who backed Ethiopia against Italy. She was buried here in 1960, and her son, the historian Richard Pankhurst, in 2017.
• Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister until his death in 2012.
• Girma Wolde-Giorgis, President from 2001 to 2013.
• Tilahun Gessesse, one of Ethiopia's best-loved singers, and Afewerk Tekle, the painter.
• Patriots who fought the Italian occupation, and a memorial and graves for the imperial ministers killed by the Derg in 1974.

There is also a memorial in the grounds to the crew and passengers of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409, lost in the Mediterranean.

What will you see inside?

• Stained-glass windows: those on the north side show Old Testament scenes and those on the south, New Testament ones.
• Murals, the best known being Afewerk Tekle's painting of the Holy Trinity with symbols of the four evangelists.
• Two imperial thrones, described as made of white ebony, ivory and marble.
• The imperial tombs of Haile Selassie and Menen.
• A large copper dome and statues on the exterior, which make the building easy to spot.

As in every Orthodox church, the innermost sanctuary, which holds the tabot (a consecrated tablet), is for clergy only. Visitors stay in the main body of the church.

Is there a museum?

Yes. A small museum in the compound holds ecclesiastical objects such as crosses, crowns and manuscripts. It may close earlier than the church, so if you arrive in the afternoon, see it first.

How much is it, and when is it open?

There is a foreigner entry fee; check the amount at the gate and bring birr in cash. Tickets are sold at the administration office just west of the main gate. The museum may be included or charged separately, and there may be an extra fee for photography inside. Rules and prices change, so ask when you buy your ticket.

Opening hours aren't fixed in writing. The cathedral is generally open from about 8am to 5pm, possibly with a midday break between 1pm and 2pm. Sunday morning belongs to the liturgy, so it is not the time to look around, and hours can change around services and major Orthodox holidays. Weekday mornings are usually the quietest.

What should you wear, and what are the rules?

1. Cover up. Shoulders and knees covered for everyone. Many women also cover their hair with a light scarf, as Ethiopian worshippers do.
2. Take your shoes off. Visitors are asked to remove their shoes to go inside. Socks help on cold stone floors.
3. Ask before photographing. Photography outside is usually fine; inside it may need permission or a fee. Never photograph worshippers or priests at prayer without asking.
4. Respect the no-photo zone. The Prime Minister's compound lies behind the memorial to the ministers killed by the Derg, and photography there is strictly forbidden. Security may keep people back. Follow any instruction from staff or guards.
5. Keep your voice low. People come here to pray and to visit family graves.

How do you get there, and what is nearby?

The cathedral is just off Niger Street near Arat Kilo, north of the city centre, close to Addis Ababa University and the parliament buildings. Most visitors come by car or ride-hailing app, and travel time depends entirely on traffic. The National Museum of Ethiopia is about a kilometre away and Unity Park about two, so it is easy to fill a day in the area.

A sensible order is the National Museum first thing, Holy Trinity late in the morning, then lunch and Unity Park in the afternoon; check Unity Park's opening days before you go. Keep a scarf and socks in your bag for the whole day in case you step into other churches.

This is exactly the kind of day a driver by the day makes easy. Our driver knows the one-way streets and parking around Arat Kilo, drops you at each entrance and waits with the car, so your bag, scarf and water stay in the car rather than on your shoulder. Tell us which places you want to see and we'll plan a sensible order and give you one fixed price for the day.

If you only have time for one church in Addis, Holy Trinity is the natural choice for its history. St George's Cathedral, the older church where Haile Selassie was crowned in 1930, is a short drive away if you want a second.