Addis Ababa established 125 years ago when king Menelik and Empress Taitu emerge and discover the beauty of this place. Empress Taitu chooses Addis Ababa to be the capital city of Ethiopia. Addis Ababa mean ‘new flower’. This city is the main seat of the African union since 1960; Ethiopia is the main founder of AU. Some decades ago, the city was covered with more of forests. Only few people were live. Today a lot of things changed, Addis Ababa is on the way to Development.
The first choice Empress Taitu Was Entoto later changed to Addis Ababa after she climbed down Filwuha. The city started as a traditional settlement, but later from time to time started growing in construction and expansion of infrastructure, the magnitude of changes showed, including construction of high-rise of buildings and roads become visible in the city. People with different walks of life, all over the rural and urban Areas started settling and started working in order to change themselves. Addis Ababa became center in all communication and trading parts.
During 1886-1941 transformation period developed. It was the first era of transformation for Addis Ababa. Different lifestyle, beliefs of inhabitants and master plans created during this time. A lot of master plans were shown starting from the Italian occupation period. C.valle’s, Sir Abercrombie’s master plan in 1946, Gudi master plan and also during the rule of Dejazmach Zewdie Gebreselassie played a major role in this city’s transformation and development. In addition to these, in 1959, Botton Hemessy and his partner plan, in 1965 plan of Luis Demarien, during the Derg reign and in 1986 plan of C.K.Poloyni transformation explode. Starting from 1991 there were two master plans; First, the new 1991 and the second was the revised one in 2003. Before the master plan, People were settled randomly. For instance Ras Kebede lived around Wollow Sefer and Ras Abate around the current British Embassy. Beyond the master plan, there was a local Development plan, which is more detail than master plan. Cazanchis and Lideta are good examples of local development plan.
Addis Ababa showed a rapid change with in short period of time, when only 21000 people lived in this city in 1920’s, all of the houses were made of mud and the coming of Italians, French and Germans changed things to large extent. There was no difference between urban and rural community especially on their life style. There were a small difference between them, many people were barefooted, there was farming in many neighborhoods and the outfits were the same. After 1960, basic changes started taking place, roads and buildings begin to construct, Main post office were built. The projects of UNESCA for head quarter office were built.
Eventually, most of the life style Addis’s people started to change. Some years back most areas of Addis Ababa was covered with forest, which now completely changed to very density populated areas. Real estates are rapidly growing and fenced compounds are taking control. In addition, enormous market buildings became common in Addis.
