Fiche

Fiche is a highland town in central Ethiopia, sitting at an elevation of roughly 2,740–2,780 m about 114 km north of Addis Ababa near the main road to Debre Marqos. It serves as the administrative centre of the North Shewa Zone of Oromia. The town has real weight in Ethiopian history: it was the seat of Ras Kassa Haile Darge, ruler of the former province of Selale in the early 20th century, and the deposed Lij Iyasu was held prisoner in Ras Kassa's house here until his 1931 escape. In 1936, at the start of the Italian occupation, Ras Kassa's two sons were executed in Fiche after their surrender was negotiated. Lying on the strategic route between Addis Ababa and Gojjam gave the town lasting political importance, and by 1958 it was ranked among Ethiopia's First Class Townships. Fiche is also known as the hometown of several noted Ethiopian religious painters, and Selale University, established in 2016, is based here.