Work on restoring a 1,700-year-old Ethiopian monument is set to be completed by the end of June, it has been revealed.
The 78-foot tall Axum Obelisk was returned to the ancient Ethiopian city in 2005 after its long spell in Italy following its acquisition in 1937 when the Europeans occupied Abyssinia.
Axum was formerly the capital of a kingdom that spanned surrounding several countries throughout the 10th century including Eritrea, Sudan and Yemen.
Weighing in at more than 150 tonnes, the towering granite structure is expected to be completely re-assembled later this month.
When completed officials expect the monolith to attract the attention of tourists such as
gap year travel enthusiasts.
Ethiopia's ambassador to France Tadelech Haile Michael told AFP that the obelisk is an important part of the country's history.
"It is a symbol of Ethiopian identity. We say, 'hawult', which means this is an eternal monument," he added.
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