These churches bear witness to ancient Christian heritage and now become an important archaeological and cultural site of the country. Traditionally, some of these churches are dated to the sixth century to reign of king Kaleb but the majority of them dated to king Lalibela who was one of the prominent kings of the Zagwe Dynasty in the twelfth century AD. Culturally, the region is known for its magnificent rock-hewn and built-up cave churches.
The district of Lasta and Lalibela had been the major cultural and political center of the country in the early medieval Ethiopia during the reigns of the Zagwe Kings.
