Harar - the Walled City

Harar is a walled city which stands on the eastern wall of the Great Rift Valley and is the provincial capital of one of Ethiopia's largest administrative region, Hararge. The city's location gives wonderful views of the surrounding country - the vast Danakil desert to the north, the fertile Harar Mountains to the west, and the cattle rich Ogaden plains to the south.

Harar was a fiercely religious city and was a forbidden city (closed to visitors), until 1887 when Menelik restored central rule. With its 99 mosques, including the 16th century Grand Mosque with is beautiful twin towers and slender minaret, it is considered to be the fourth most holy city in Islam after Mecca, Medina and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. It’s also well known for its Islamic learning and scholarship, as well as its handicraft, including weaving, basket-making, and book-binding

A bright splash of color is provided by the Harari women strolling through town, often dressed in red, purple, or black dresses with velvet trousers and bright orange shawls.

Places of interest inside the walled city of Harar includeThe impressive centuries-old walls themselves, which had five gates until 1889, when Emperor Menelik II built two more.

• Also of interest is Ras Makonnen’s (father of the last king of Ethiopia) stately old palace
• The Jami mosque, which dates back to the 17th century among the other 89 mosques.
• The colorful Adere house
• The museum of Harer
• Near by the mosque is a house believed to be a residence for the famous French poet Arthur Rimbaud.
• Also the colorful Christian and Muslim markets are places of interest to spend time.