Modern postal service was introduced in Ethiopia in 1894 E.C during the reign of emperor Menelik II with the help of Alfred Ilg. The Old Post Office was the first modern post ofice opened in Addis Ababa, on July 1908. It functioned until Italian ocupation in 1935.
It was built in the late 1930s as a parade square. In 1974, during the reign of the Derg the Square was renamed Abyot (Revolution) Square and decorated with pictures of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Mengistu Hailemaryam.
It served for multiple purposes before its current function as the National Museum. It was built in the 1920’s. It was the residence of Martial Graziani during the Italian occupation.
