- published: 25 Jul 2012
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Fiche (also spelled Fikke) is a town in central Ethiopia. It's the administrative centre of the Semien Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region and separate woreda. It's located about three km off the main Addis Ababa-Debre Marqos road, Fiche has a latitude and longitude of 9°48′N 38°44′E / 9.8°N 38.733°E / 9.8; 38.733 and an elevation between 2738 and 2782 metres above sea level.
Notable landmarks in Fiche include the churches Fiche Giyorgis Bete Kristiyan and Fiche Medhane Alem Bete Kristiyan. The town is also home to several notable Ethiopian painters of religious themes: Alaqa Gebre Selassie Adil (1881-1975), Emealaf Hiruy (1907-1971), and Alefelege Selam (1924- ).
Ras ("Commander") Kassa Haile Darge ruled the former province of Selale from Fiche in the early 20th century.
The deposed Lij Iyasu was imprisoned in Ras Kassa's house until he escaped in 1931. W.E.D. Allen passed through Fiche in 1941, and describes the town as having "the usual character of Abyssinian country towns: an agglomeration of huts standing in rather dreary eucalyptus groves and dominated by a fort and the European villa of the Ras." He also noted that "Fiche has a certain strategic importance in the feudal politics of Abyssinia since it lies across the main line of communication between the capital and Gojjam; and in the period of coup d'etats in the '20s the lord of Salale was always in the position to intervene suddenly in the capital only 70 miles away."