Africa Hall

Historic African Union headquarters with Africa's largest stained glass window

Africa Hall was built in 1961 to house the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and served as the founding headquarters of the Organisation of African Unity (now the African Union) in 1963. The building is one of the most architecturally significant in Addis, a modernist structure designed to embody African ambitions at the height of the independence era.

The highlight is the extraordinary stained glass triptych by Afewerk Tekle in the assembly hall — a sweeping narrative of African history that most visitors have never heard of. Tours of the building are available by appointment and occasionally on open days. The African Union complex next door, funded by China and controversial for its echoes of Chinese Communist Party architecture, makes an interesting contrast.

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The three-part stained glass window in the main hall, designed and created by Ethiopian artist Afewerk Tekle, took three years to complete and depicts the history of Africa from colonialism to independence. At 150 square metres, it is one of the largest stained glass works on the continent. Tekle refused any outside assistance and completed the entire work alone.

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