Asmara ( ), or Asmera (), is the capital and most populous city of

Eritrea Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered by Ethiopia in the Eritrea–Ethiopia border, south, Sudan in the west, and Dj ...

, in the country's Central Region. It sits at an elevation of , making it the sixth highest capital in the world by altitude and the second highest capital in Africa. The city is located at the tip of an

escarpment An escarpment is a steep slope or long cliff that forms as a result of faulting or erosion and separates two relatively level areas having different elevations. Due to the similarity, the term '' scarp'' may mistakenly be incorrectly used inte ...

that is both the northwestern edge of the

Eritrean Highlands The Eritrean Highlands are a mountainous region in central Eritrea. Bordered to the south by the Mareb River, it is a northern continuation of the Ethiopian Highlands. The region has seen tremendous deforestation since the colonial period, wh ...

and the

Great Rift Valley The Great Rift Valley () is a series of contiguous geographic depressions, approximately 6,000 or in total length, the definition varying between sources, that runs from the southern Turkish Hatay Province in Asia, through the Red Sea, to Moz ...

in neighbouring

Ethiopia Ethiopia, officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country located in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the north, Djibouti to the northeast, Somalia to the east, Ken ...

. In 2017, the city was declared as a

UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

for its well-preserved

modernist architecture Modern architecture, also called modernist architecture, or the modern movement, is an architectural architectural movement, movement and architectural style, style that was prominent in the 20th century, between the earlier Art Deco Architectu ...

. According to local traditions, the city was founded after four separate villages unified to live together peacefully after long periods of conflict. Asmara had long been overshadowed by nearby

Debarwa Debarwa ( ) is a market town in central Eritrea. It is situated about 25 kilometers south of the capital Asmara, and has a population of about 25,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Debarwa district (''Tsilima'') in the Debub ("Southern") ...

, the residence of the ''

Bahr Negash Medri Bahri (Tigrinya language, Tigrinya: ምድሪ ባሕሪ, English: ''Land of the Sea'') or Mereb Melash (Tigrinya: መረብ ምላሽ, English: ''Beyond the Mareb River, Mereb''), also known as Baharanegash, Ma'ikele Bahr or Bambolo Melash wa ...

'' or the governor of the coastal province, however it still existed as a major settlement for over half a millennium and enjoyed some importance as it stood on the trade route to

Massawa Massawa or Mitsiwa ( ) is a port city in the Northern Red Sea Region, Northern Red Sea region of Eritrea, located on the Red Sea at the northern end of the Gulf of Zula beside the Dahlak Archipelago. It has been a historically important port for ...

. Asmara first rose to prominence during the 20th century, when it became capital of

Italian Eritrea Italian Eritrea (, "Colony of Eritrea") was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy in the territory of present-day Eritrea. The first Italian establishment in the area was the purchase of Assab by the Società di Navigazione Rubattino, Rubattino Shippin ...

. Under Italian rule the city of Asmara experienced rapid urbanization and modernization.

History

According to Eritrean Tigrinya oral traditional history, there were four clans living in the Asmera area on the Kebessa Plateau: the Gheza Gurtom, the Gheza Shelele, the Gheza Serenser and Gheza Asmae. These villages were frequently attacked by clans from the lowlands, until the women of each clan decided that to preserve peace the four clans must unite. The men accepted, hence the name "Arbate Asmera". Arbate Asmera literally means, in the

Tigrinya language Tigrinya, sometimes romanized as Tigrigna, is an Ethio-Semitic languages, Ethio-Semitic language, which is a subgrouping within the Semitic languages, Semitic branch of the Afroasiatic languages. It is primarily spoken by the Tigrinya people, ...

, "the four (feminine plural) made them unite". The first mention of Asmara comes from a Latin itinerary during the reign of Emperor

Dawit I Dawit I () was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1382 to 6 October 1413, and a member of the Solomonic dynasty. He was the younger son of Newaya Krestos. Reign Early in his reign, around 1380, Dawit campaigned against Egypt. He initiated this campaign i ...

(1382–1411).

Italian Asmara

Asmara, a small village in the nineteenth century, started to grow quickly when it was occupied by Italy in 1889. Governor Ferdinando Martini made it the capital city of

in 1897. In the early 20th century, the

Eritrean Railway The Eritrean Railway is the only railway system in Eritrea. It was constructed between 1887 and 1932 during the Italian Eritrea colony and connects the port of Massawa with Asmara. Originally it also connected to Bishia. The line was partly dama ...

was built to the coast, passing through the town of

Ghinda Ghinda () is a town in the Northern Red Sea region of Eritrea. It is situated in the Ghinda subregion, and lies between Asmara and Massawa. Overview Ghinda is a major fruit and vegetable growing area and a centre for Tigre people, Tigrinya p ...

, under the direction of Carlo Cavanna. In both

1913 Events January * January – Joseph Stalin travels to Vienna to research his ''Marxism and the National Question''. This means that, during this month, Stalin, Hitler, Trotsky and Tito are all living in the city. * January 3 &ndash ...

and

1915 Events Below, the events of World War I have the "WWI" prefix. January *January – British physicist Sir Joseph Larmor publishes his observations on "The Influence of Local Atmospheric Cooling on Astronomical Refraction". *January 1 * ...

the city suffered only slight damage in large earthquakes. A large Italian community developed the city. According to the 1939 census, Asmara had a population of 98,000, of whom 53,000 were Italian. Only 75,000 Italians lived in all of Eritrea, thus making the capital city by far their largest centre. (Compare this to the

Italian colonization of Libya The Italian colonization of Libya began in 1911 and it lasted until 1943. The country, which was previously an Ottoman Tripolitania, Ottoman possession, was occupied by Kingdom of Italy, Italy in 1911 after the Italo-Turkish War, which resulted i ...

, where the settler population, albeit larger, was more dispersed.) The capital acquired an Italian architectural look. Europeans used Asmara "to experiment with radical new designs". By the late 1930s, Asmara was called ''Piccola Roma'' (Little Rome). Journalist

John Gunther John Gunther (August 30, 1901 – May 29, 1970) was an Americans, American journalist and writer. His success came primarily by a series of popular sociopolitical works, known as the "Inside" books (1936–1972), including the best-sell ...

noted in 1955 that "the Italians built

smara Smāra (also romanized Semara, , ; ) is a city in the Moroccan-controlled part of Western Sahara, with a population of 57,035 recorded in the 2014 Moroccan census. It is served by Smara Airport and Smara bus station. History The largest city in ...

well, like

Tripoli Tripoli or Tripolis (from , meaning "three cities") may refer to: Places Greece *Tripolis (region of Arcadia), a district in ancient Arcadia, Greece * Tripolis (Larisaia), an ancient Greek city in the Pelasgiotis district, Thessaly, near Larissa ...

, with handsome wide streets, ornate public buildings, and even such refinements of civilization as a modern sewage system ...

gives the impression of being a pleasant enough small city in

Calabria Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...

, or even

Umbria Umbria ( ; ) is a Regions of Italy, region of central Italy. It includes Lake Trasimeno and Cascata delle Marmore, Marmore Falls, and is crossed by the Tiber. It is the only landlocked region on the Italian Peninsula, Apennine Peninsula. The re ...

.” Nowadays more than 400 buildings are of Italian origin, and many shops still have Italian names (e.g., ''Bar Vittoria'', ''Pasticceria moderna'', ''Casa del formaggio'', and ''Ferramenta''). The Kingdom of Italy invested in the industrial development of Asmara (and surrounding areas of Eritrea), but the beginning of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

brought this to a halt.

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

made Asmara a World Heritage Site in July 2017, saying "It is an exceptional example of early modernist urbanism at the beginning of the 20th century and its application in an African context".

Federation with Ethiopia

In 1952, the United Nations resolved to federate the former colony under Ethiopian rule. During the Federation, Asmara was no longer the capital city. The capital was now

Addis Ababa Addis Ababa (; ,) is the capital city of Ethiopia, as well as the regional state of Oromia. With an estimated population of 2,739,551 inhabitants as of the 2007 census, it is the largest city in the country and the List of cities in Africa b ...

, over to the south. In 1961, Emperor

Haile Selassie I Haile Selassie I (born Tafari Makonnen or ''Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles#Lij, Lij'' Tafari; 23 July 189227 August 1975) was Emperor of Ethiopia from 1930 to 1974. He rose to power as the Ethiopian aristocratic and court titles, Rege ...

ended the "federal" arrangement and declared the territory to be the 14th province of the

Ethiopian Empire The Ethiopian Empire, historically known as Abyssinia or simply Ethiopia, was a sovereign state that encompassed the present-day territories of Ethiopia and Eritrea. It existed from the establishment of the Solomonic dynasty by Yekuno Amlak a ...

. Ethiopia's biggest ally was the United States. The city was home to the

US Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

Kagnew Station Kagnew Station was a United States Army installation in Asmara, Eritrea on the Horn of Africa. The installation was established in 1943 as a U.S. Army radio station, taking over and refurbishing a pre-existing Italian naval radio station, '' Radi ...

installation from 1943 until 1977. The

Eritrean War of Independence The Eritrean War of Independence was an War, armed conflict and insurgency aimed at achieving self-determination and independence for Eritrea from Ethiopian rule. Starting in 1961, Eritrean insurgents engaged in guerrilla warfare to liberate ...

began in 1961 and ended in 1991, resulting in the independence of Eritrea. Asmara was left relatively undamaged throughout the war, as were the majority of highland regions. After independence, Asmara again became the capital of Eritrea.

Geography

The city lies at an elevation of

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of a location's vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) in reference to a vertical datum based on a historic mean sea level. In geodesy, it is formalized as orthometric height. The zero level ...

. It lies on north–south trending highlands known as the

, an extension of the

Ethiopian Highlands The Ethiopian Highlands (also called the Abyssinian Highlands) is a rugged mass of mountains in Ethiopia in Northeast Africa. It forms the largest continuous area of its elevation in the continent, with little of its surface falling below , whil ...

. The temperate central portion, where Asmara lies, is situated on a rocky highland plateau, which separates the western lowlands from the eastern coastal plains. The lands that surround Asmara are very fertile, especially those to the south towards the Debub Region of Eritrea. The highlands that Asmera is located in fall away to reveal the eastern lowlands, characterized by the searing heat and humidity of the Eritrean salt pans, lapped by the Red Sea. To the west of the plateau stretches a vast semi-arid hilly terrain continuing all the way towards the border with

Sudan Sudan, officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northeast Africa. It borders the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west, Libya to the northwest, Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the east, Eritrea and Ethiopi ...

through the

Gash-Barka Region Gash-Barka ( ጋሽ ባርካ, ) is an administrative region of Eritrea. It is situated in the south-west of the country, bordering the Anseba region to the north, and the Maekel (Central) and Debub (Southern) regions to the east; the country ...

Climate

Asmara has a

cool semi-arid climate A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of semi- ...

(''BSk'') according to the

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

. It has year-round moderately warm weather, with recorded temperatures ranging between a minimum of and a maximum of . It has an average humidity of 51% and an UV-index of 6. Holdridge life zones system of bioclimatic classification put Asmara in or near the subtropical thorn woodland biome. Rainfall patterns differ from month to month with highest precipitation in July and August, and lower precipitation in other months. Asmara has warm, but not hot summers and mild winters. Due to its altitude, temperatures are relatively mild for a city located not particularly far from the hotter surroundings in the country. This climate is characteristic of rainy, wet seasons and dry seasons. Asmara averages about of precipitation annually.

Frost Frost is a thin layer of ice on a solid surface, which forms from water vapor that deposits onto a freezing surface. Frost forms when the air contains more water vapor than it can normally hold at a specific temperature. The process is simila ...

, however, is extremely rare in the city. The long dry season of the year extends from September until around April, and a season of occasional showers occurs from April to June. On average, about 60% of Asmara's annual precipitation is experienced during the months of July and August. In contrast, December to February are typically Asmara's driest months, where on average only of precipitation falls in the three months combined. Due to variable rainfall, Asmara's climate is also characterized by drought. Several prolonged droughts in this region have occurred beginning in the 1960s and have recurred each decade since then. During periods of drought, temperatures are high and little rainfall occurs. As temperatures in a region increase, the rate of evaporation of water from the soil also increases. These combined processes result in the

desertification Desertification is a type of gradual land degradation of Soil fertility, fertile land into arid desert due to a combination of natural processes and human activities. The immediate cause of desertification is the loss of most vegetation. This i ...

of the soil. In order to obtain nutrient rich and moist soil for farming purposes, populations rely on deforestation to make use of the underlying ground. The most serious environmental issues Asmara faces are deforestation and desertification. Other issues Asmara faces are soil erosion and

overgrazing Overgrazing occurs when plants are exposed to intensive grazing for extended periods of time, or without sufficient recovery periods. It can be caused by either livestock in poorly managed agricultural applications, game reserves, or nature ...

. All of these environmental issues produce

soil degradation Soil retrogression and degradation are two regressive evolution processes associated with the loss of equilibrium of a soil health, stable soil. Retrogression is primarily due to soil erosion and corresponds to a phenomenon where succession revert ...

Culture

The city is home to the Eritrean National Museum. The city is often the starting point of the Tour of Eritrea cycling competition.

Architecture

The city is known for its early 20th-century buildings, including the

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

Cinema Impero The Cinema Impero ( "Empire Cinema") is an Art Deco-style cinema in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea. It was built in 1937 by the colonial authorities in Italian Eritrea. History ''Cinema Impero'' was the largest movie theater constructed in Asma ...

(opened in 1937 and considered by the experts one of the world's finest examples of Art Déco style building), Cubist Africa Pension, eclectic Eritrean Orthodox Enda Mariam Cathedral and former

Opera House An opera house is a theater building used for performances of opera. Like many theaters, it usually includes a stage, an orchestra pit, audience seating, backstage facilities for costumes and building sets, as well as offices for the institut ...

, the

futurist Futurists (also known as futurologists, prospectivists, foresight practitioners and horizon scanners) are people whose specialty or interest is futures studies or futurology or the attempt to systematically explore predictions and possibilities ...

Fiat Tagliero Building The Fiat Tagliero Building is a Futurist-style service station in Asmara, Eritrea. It was completed in 1938 and designed by the Italian engineer Giuseppe Pettazzi. Historical background The Fiat Tagliero is noted as one of the foremost Art D ...

, the

neo-Romanesque Romanesque Revival (or Neo-Romanesque) is a style of building employed beginning in the mid-19th century inspired by the 11th- and 12th-century Romanesque architecture. Unlike the historic Romanesque style, Romanesque Revival buildings tended t ...

Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Asmara The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Asmara () is a Catholic Church, Catholic church built in the early 1920s in Asmara, when the city was the capital of Italian Eritrea. Often called "The Cathedral", it is a large First Romanesque, Lombard Roma ...

, and the neoclassical Governor's Palace. The city is adorned by Italian colonial

villa A villa is a type of house that was originally an ancient Roman upper class country house that provided an escape from urban life. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the f ...

s and

mansions A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... from the Latin w ...

, one prominent example being the World Bank Building. Most of central Asmara was built between 1935 and 1941, so the

Italians Italians (, ) are a European peoples, European ethnic group native to the Italian geographical region. Italians share a common Italian culture, culture, History of Italy, history, Cultural heritage, ancestry and Italian language, language. ...

effectively managed to build almost an entire city in just six years. At this time, the dictator

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who, upon assuming office as Prime Minister of Italy, Prime Minister, became the dictator of Fascist Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 un ...

had great plans for a second

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...

in Africa. War cut this short, but his injection of funds created the Asmara of today, which supposedly was to be a symbol to the colonial

fascism Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural social hie ...

during that period of time. The city shows off most early 20th-century architectural styles. Some buildings are

, such as the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, some villas are built in a late

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literatur ...

style. Art Deco influences are found throughout the city. Essences of

Cubism Cubism is an early-20th-century avant-garde art movement which began in Paris. It revolutionized painting and the visual arts, and sparked artistic innovations in music, ballet, literature, and architecture. Cubist subjects are analyzed, broke ...

can be found on the Africa Pension Building, and on a small collection of buildings. The

shows almost the height of futurism, just as it was coming into big fashion in Italy. Asmara is known to be an exceptionally modern city, not only because of its architecture, but Asmara also had more

traffic lights Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – also known as robots in South Africa, Zambia, and Namibia – are signaling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control the flow o ...

than

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

did when the city was being built. The city incorporates many features of a planned city.

Restaurants, bars, cafes

Asmara has wide streets, restaurants,

piazza A town square (or public square, urban square, city square or simply square), also called a plaza or piazza, is an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town or city, and which is used for community gatherings. Rela ...

s (town squares),

bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar ** Chocolate bar * Protein bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a laye ...

s and

cafes A coffeehouse, coffee shop, or café (), is an establishment that serves various types of coffee, espresso, latte, americano and cappuccino, among other hot beverages. Many coffeehouses in West Asia offer ''shisha'' (actually called ''nargile ...

while many of the boulevards are lined with palms trees. The

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

inspired food and culture is very present and was introduced during

. Countless restaurants and cafes, serve high quality

espresso Espresso (, ) is a concentrated form of coffee produced by forcing hot water under high pressure through finely ground coffee beans. Originating in Italy, espresso has become one of the most popular coffee-brewing methods worldwide. It is cha ...

cappuccino Cappuccino (, ; from German ) is an espresso-based coffee drink traditionally prepared with steamed milk, including a layer of milk foam. Variations of the drink involve the use of cream instead of milk, using non-dairy milk substitutes ...

s and

latte Latte () or caffè latte (), also known as , or , is a List of coffee drinks, coffee drink of Italian cuisine, Italian origin made with espresso and steamed milk, traditionally served in a glass. Variants include the chocolate-flavored ''caf ...

s, as well as

gelato Gelato (; ; ) refers to a specific type of ice cream of Italian origin. In Italian, ''Gelato'' is the common word for all types of ice cream. Artisanal gelato in Italy generally contains 6–9% butterfat, which is lower than other styles of ...

parlours and restaurants with Italian Eritrean cuisine. Common dishes served from the Italian Eritrean cuisine are 'Pasta al Sugo e Berbere', which means "pasta with tomato sauce and

berbere Berbere ( ''bärbäre'', ''bärbärä'') is a spice mixture whose constituent elements usually include chili peppers, coriander, garlic, ginger, Ethiopian holy basil (besobela) seeds, korarima, rue, ajwain or radhuni, nigella, and fenugr ...

" (spice), "

lasagna Lasagna (, ; ), also known by the plural form lasagne (), is a type of pasta Pasta (, ; ) is a type of food typically made from an Leavening agent, unleavened dough of wheat flour mixed with water or Eggs as food, eggs, and formed in ...

" and "cotoletta alla milanese" (milano cutlet).

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Asmara was listed as a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

in July 2017, becoming the first modernist city anywhere to be listed in its entirety. The inscription taking place during the 41st World Heritage Committee Session. The city has thousands of

modernist Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...

, and rationalist buildings, constructed during the period of

. The city, nicknamed "''La piccola Roma''" ("Little Rome"), is located over 2,000 meters above sea level, and was an ideal spot for construction due to the relatively cool climate; architects used a combination of both Italian and local materials. Some notable buildings include the

, Bar Zilli, opera houses, hotels, and cinemas, such as the

. A statement from UNESCO read: The Historic Center of Asmara was placed on the

World Monuments Fund World Monuments Fund (WMF) is a private, international, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage sites around the world through fieldwork, advocacy, grantmaking, education, and training ...

's 2006 Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. The listing was designed to bring more attention to the city to save the center from decay and redevelopment and to promote restoration. Following CARP (a World Bank initiative on Cultural Heritage), the

European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...

Delegation in Asmara has engaged into a Heritage Project pertaining to building's restoration and archive management. Launched in 2010 the EU/Eritrea Cultural Project was expected to be completed in 2014 (Pierre Couté – Edward Denison, Project Design Report, EUD Asmara 2009).

Religion

Four big landmarks of the city are the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Kidane Mehret Cathedral of the Catholic faith (the former of Latin and the latter of Coptic rite), the Enda Mariam Cathedral of the

Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church The Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church () is one of the Oriental Orthodox Churches with its headquarters in Asmara, Eritrea. It was given autocephaly by Shenouda III of Alexandria, pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church, after Eritrea gained its in ...

, and the Al Khulafa Al Rashiudin Mosque of the Islamic faith. Asmara is also the see of the archbishop of the

, which became

autocephalous Autocephaly (; ) is the status of a hierarchical Christian church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. The term is primarily used in Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. The status has been compared with t ...

in 1993. The archbishop was elevated in 1998 to the rank of

Patriarchate Patriarchate (, ; , ''patriarcheîon'') is an ecclesiological term in Christianity, referring to the office and jurisdiction of a patriarch. According to Christian tradition, three patriarchates—Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria—were establi ...

of Eritrea, on a par with the

Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church () is the largest of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. One of the few Christian churches in Africa originating before European colonization of the continent, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church dates bac ...

Economy

Eritrean Airlines Eritrean Airlines is the national airline of Eritrea. Based at Asmara International Airport, it is wholly owned by the government of Eritrea. Scheduled service had been discontinued since 2008, and the airline operated only a few hajj flights ...

, the Eritrean Telecommunications Corporation, and other companies are headquartered in the city. The country's national television station

Eri-TV Eri-TV (acronym for Eritrean Television) is an Eritrean state-owned television network. Headquartered in the nation's capital Asmara, it broadcasts 24 hours a day. The station offers around-the-clock news bulletins, talk shows, and propaganda pro ...

has many studios located in various areas in the capital.

Asmara Brewery Asmara Brewery (formerly Melotti Brewery) is a brewery in Eritrea. The brewery was founded in 1938. The brewery was nationalized by the Derg during the Eritrean War of Independence. The brewery operates a football team, which plays in the Eritr ...

, built 1939 under the name of Melotti, is located in the city and employs 600 people. The brewery produces Asmara beer and other beverages like rum and gin. The brewery also owns and operates as a sponsor of the local football team

Asmara Brewery FC Asmara Brewery FC or Asmara Birra is an Eritrean football club based in Asmara and founded in 1944 (with the original 1936 name ''GS Melotti''). It is linked and economically maintained by the Asmara Brewery. History The Asmara Birra plays in ...

, also named "Asmara Birra" (translated "Asmara Beer").

Transport

After Eritrean independence, the roads of Asmara underwent extensive construction projects. Old roads were renovated and new highways were also built. There are five primary roads out of Asmara.

Asmara International Airport Asmara International Airport () is the international airport of Asmara, the capital of Eritrea. It is the country's largest airport and the only one receiving regularly scheduled services as of 2017. History The airport was constructed by the ...

serves the city with many international flights.

Massawa International Airport Massawa International Airport is an airport in Massawa, a city in the Northern Red Sea region of Eritrea. It is considered to be the successor of the Otumlo Airport, also in Massawa, which was destroyed in 1941. It is one of Eritrea's major a ...

is an alternative airport nearby. As of 1999, there is a total of 317 kilometres of (narrow gauge) rail line in Eritrea. The

was built between 1887 and 1932. Badly damaged during

WWII World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and in later fighting, it was closed section by section, with the final closure coming in 1978. After independence, a rebuilding effort commenced, and the first rebuilt section was reopened in 2003. As of 2009, the section from Asmara to

was fully rebuilt and available for service.

Education

Asmara has always been a national centre of education, and is home to many elementary and high schools. It was home to the

University of Asmara The University of Asmara (UoA) was a public university in Asmara, Eritrea Eritrea, officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa region of East Africa, with its capital and largest city being Asmara. It is bordered ...

from 1958 until the university was shut down in 2006, following the opening of a university at Mai Nefhi. During the period of Ethiopian Federation and annexation, the university was also linked with what was then the nation's largest tertiary institution,

Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa University (; AAU) is a national university located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is the oldest university in Ethiopia. AAU has thirteen campuses. Twelve of these are situated in Addis Ababa, and one is located in Bishoftu, about away. ...

Universities and colleges

(1958–2006) *

Eritrea Institute of Technology The Eritrea Institute of Technology (EIT) or Mai-Nefhi College is a technological institute located near the town Himbrti, Mai Nefhi, Eritrea. It is situated about 12 km southwest of Asmara, near the Mai Nefhi dam. The institute has three ...

Primary and secondary schools

International schools

Asmara International Community School The Asmara International Community School (AICS) in Asmara, Eritrea, is an independent, coeducational day school which offers an educational program to children from prekindergarten (age 3) through grade 12. The school was founded in 1994 to serv ...

– Anglophone international school *

Italian School of Asmara The Italian School of Asmara (officially ''Istituto italiano statale omnicomprensivo di Asmara'' - ''Scuola italiana di Asmara'') was a government-operated Italian international school located in Asmara, the capital of Eritrea. The school closed i ...

– Italian primary school with a

Montessori The Montessori method of education is a type of educational method that involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing ...

department (1903–2020) Secondary schools * Sheikh Ibrahim Sultan Secondary School * Red Sea Secondary School * Barka Secondary School * Lim'at Secondary School * Halay Secondary School * Hafeshawi Secondary School * Isaac Tewoldemedhin High School * Sematat Secondary School

Districts

Asmara is divided into 13 districts or administrative areas. These districts are subdivided into North, North-West, North-East, South-East, South-West, East, West and Central areas. The thirteen districts (or ''Neous Zobas'') are: ;North *Akhriya District *Abba'shaul District *Edaga Hamus District ;North-East *Arba'te Asmara District ;North-West *Mai Temenai District *Paradiso District ;South-West *Sembel District ;South-East *Kahawuta District *Godaif District ;Central *Maakel Ketema District ;West *Tiravolo District *Tsetserat District ;East *Gheza Banda District *Gejeret District

Notable people

* Abraham Afewerki, popular singer, songwriter and music producer *

Isaias Afwerki Isaias Afwerki (, ; born 2 February 1946) is an Eritrean politician and leader who has been the List of heads of state of Eritrea, president of Eritrea since 1993 and the chairman of the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) since 1994 ...

, President of

Desta Bairu Desta Bairu (June 1, 1914 - June 20, 2002) was an Eritrean-American cook and restaurateur. Early life Bairu was born on June 1, 1914, in Asmara, then a colony of Italy. She immigrated to the United States of America in 1959. Career She wa ...

, restaurateur * Yemane Barya, famous Eritrean singer and musician *

Tsehaytu Beraki Tsehaytu Beraki (; 1 September 1939 – 24 May 2018) was an Eritrean musician, poet and political activist, known for her singing and playing of the krar (a five-string harp). Early life Tsehaytu Beraki was born in 1939, in the small town of ...

, popular Eritrean musician * Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, soil biogeochemist and Director of the Office of Science at the US Department of Energy * Gianfranco Calligarich, Italian novelist, screenwriter and dramatist *

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (, sometimes spelled ; born 3 March 1965) is an Ethiopian public health official, researcher, diplomat, and the DGWHO, Director-General of the World Health Organization since 2017. He is the first African to become W ...

, 8th Director-General of the

World Health Organization The World Health Organization (WHO) is a list of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations which coordinates responses to international public health issues and emergencies. It is headquartered in Gen ...

Biniam Girmay Biniam Girmay Hailu (born 2 April 2000) is an Eritrean professional road cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam . At the 2024 Tour de France, Biniam won the Green Jersey becoming the first African to win any jersey at the Tour. At the same ...

, professional bicycle rider *

Remo Girone Remo Girone (born 1 December 1948) is an Italian film and stage actor. He is best known for the role of Tano Cariddi in the epic TV mini-series '' La piovra'' (''The Octopus''). He appeared as an Italian-American mob boss in '' Live by Night'' a ...

, Italian film and stage actor * Dawit Isaak, Swedish-Eritrean journalist *

Meb Keflezighi Mebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi (; , ''Mebrāhtōm Kifl'izgī''; born May 5, 1975) is a retired American long distance runner. He is the 2004 Olympic silver medalist in the marathon and finished in fourth place in the 2012 Summer Olympics. He won ...

, Eritrean-born American long-distance runner *

Bruno Lauzi Bruno Lauzi (; 8 August 1937 – 24 October 2006) was an Italian singer-songwriter, poet and writer. Biography Bruno Lauzi was born in Asmara, then part of the Italian East Africa, to a Catholic father, Francesco Lauzi and a Jewish mother, ...

, Italian singer-songwriter, poet and writer * Gianfranco Rosi, Italian film director and documentarian *

Mehari Shinash Mehari Shinash is an Eritrean footballer. He played for the Eritrea national football team. International career Shinash played in the 2009 CECAFA Cup in Kenya, where his cross was deflected in for an own goal in the 3–1 victory against Somalia ...

, Eritrean footballer *

Mussie Zerai Mussie Zerai Yosief, also known as Dr. Abba Mussie Zerai Yosief, Mosè Zerai and Dr. Father Moses, (born 1975), is an Eritrean Catholic Church, Catholic priest known for his work with asylum seekers & refugees crossing the Mediterranean Sea from ...

, Roman Catholic priest and activist for the

right of asylum The right of asylum, sometimes called right of political asylum (''asylum'' ), is a juridical concept, under which people persecuted by their own rulers might be protected by another sovereign authority, such as a second country or another enti ...

References

External links

Asmara, Eritrea
Documentary Film about the city by filmmaker Caterina Borelli
Asmara inscription in UNESCO
{{Authority control Central region (Eritrea) Regional capitals in Eritrea Populated places in Eritrea Capitals in Africa Art Deco World Heritage Sites in Eritrea Populated places established in the 8th century BC

History

Italian Asmara

Federation with Ethiopia

Geography

Climate

Culture

Architecture

Restaurants, bars, cafes

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Religion

Economy

Transport

Education

Universities and colleges

Primary and secondary schools

International schools

Districts

Notable people

See also

References

Further reading

External links