All That You Need to Know About Asmara, Eritrea
Asmara, a Tigrinya word, means “four made them unite”. The city that we see today was originally occupied by for clans who fought each other until the women interceded and acknowledged that to maintain peace, all the four clans must unite and hence the name Asmara. It is the capital and the largest city of Eritrea. The beautiful city is located on the tip of an escarpment in the central Maekel Region. Anyone visiting the city would instantly think of it solely as an Italian-built urban colony, however, it dates back to 400 BC.
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Eritrea was occupied by the Italy in 1889 and consequently made the capital city of Italian Eritrea. Since much damage was caused to Asmara by massive earthquakes in 1913 and 1915, they saw this as a colossal building site and a chance to furnish the entire look of the city according to their architectural designs. By the late 1930s, the Italian had completely transformed the city into a beautiful highlight of Rome, which is why it was also known as the Piccolo Roma (Little Rome). In the early 1930s, they applied most of their new experimental techniques and designs and so most of the buildings and shops you’ll see manifest modern architectural forms, from commercial buildings designed as trains, fine and ultra-sophisticated hotels to politicized monumental enterprises for government buildings. Places to dine-in, bakeries, coffee shops and all other go around have Italian names such as Pasticceria moderna, Ferramenta, etc. Not just that, but the cultural and social outlook of the city also transmuted into an Italian base.
A great triumph for Asmara was when it was proposed for the addition to the UNESCO World Heritage Site to being one of the unique and astounding example of 20th century architecture and city planning. People at large still haven’t acknowledged the treasures Asmara entails amongst which includes the Historic Cente of Asmara. Consequently, it was registered on the World’s Mounument Fund’s 2006 Watch list of 100 most endangered sites. This way it got the spotlight it deserved and simultaneously will be chosen easily for renovation and endorse restoration.
Places to visit:
The city is home to colonial Italian architecture which is one of the main attractions full of cafes, pizzerias, shops, old cinema theatres and bars. It’s a lined main street where you can take a stroll by walk or on your bicycle, going towards the vibrant and bustling marketplace that lies nearby this street, called the Independence Avenue by the locals. You can learn how to haggle with the enthusiastic sellers and buy beautiful souvenirs.
Going straight ahead from the Independence Avenue, you’ll reach Nyala Hotel which is exceptionally famous for its café on the top floor that gives you an intriguing and incredible view of the entire city. One can relax with chilled beer and embrace the sunset.
National Museum of Asmara, located behind the Nyala Hotel, has the most impressive and exquisite collection from about six eras of the land’s civilization. All the 20th century buildings around the city is a marvel to look at including the Art Deco Cinema Impero, established in 1937 and also received the honor of being one of the finest Art Deco style building, Cubist Africa Pension and the former Opera House are just a few examples. A city like this without amazing Catherdrals is not nearly a possibility. The eclectic Orthodox Cathedral and neo-Romanesque Roman Catholic Cathedral are a must visit.
Even the houses and mansions are adorned magnificently amongst which World Bank Building is a great example. The Fiat Tagliero Building exemplifies the height of futurism, the similar concept that became the new fashion in Italy.
The whole of Eritrea is a personification of historical times and Village of Tselot is one of them. It is a traditional highland village of Eritrea resembles Biblical times with stone houses, small plots and ancient temples. People have occupations like farming, herding, transporting goods on mule or camelback. Within a walking distance from the village, you’ll find the Martyrs National Park, hilly forest and wildlife reserve at the ridge of the highland plateau. The scenery from up there is spectacular, even more so when the clouds fill the mountain tops and one seems to be walking above the clouds.
Climate is a factor you can joy throughout the year as it rarely goes above 30°C. However, if you’re looking for an adventurous trip entailing hiking, mountain biking or rock climbing you should know that the dry season lasts from December to April whereas the rainy season extends from May to September. The land is nourished by the rain and the aftereffects is a wonder to watch with its verdant and lush outlook. There is also very low humidity causing variations in the temperature of the day and night. The city is not very well-equipped for heating and insulation and therefore, anyone visiting must come with proper outfits to enjoy their time
For any tourist, especially who have access to discounted fares to Asmara, the Eritrean Festival is a definite come and see because it is one of the biggest festivals held within the country. Being popularly known as a cultural festive week, it is celebrated to mark the struggle for Independence. Although, the event was created in 1884 by the Eritrea people in the diaspora in Bologna-Italy, the first official festival was held in 2002 wherein Eritrean communities were gathered from all around the globe. In Asmara it is now known as the Expo where you can witness the traditional culture of Eritrean community. Varied types of tribes, dances, music and the food from the nine different ethnic groups are displayed as well as discussion about the future developments are open for the public to acknowledge.
