Harar: The walled (forbidden) cityHarar, (also Harrar or Harer), is a city in Ethiopia situated in the eastern extension of the Ethiopian highlands, about five hundred kilometers from Addis Ababa. Harar is located on a hilltop, with an elevation of 1885 meters. It has a population of around 80,000.
Called "Gey"
("the City") by its inhabitants, Harar was founded between the
7th and the 11th century (according to different sources) and emerged
as the center of Islamic culture and religion in the Horn of Africa. It
preserved its political and cultural independence from the rest of Ethiopia
for centuries, and in 1520 it became the capital of an independent Muslim
kingdom under Abu Bakr. From Harar, Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi, also known
as "Gragn the Left-handed," launched a war of conquest in the
sixteenth century that extended its territory and even threatened the
existence of the Christian Ethiopian empire. His successor, Emir Nur ibn
Mujahid, encircled the city with a wall, 4 meters high and with five gates.
This wall, called Jugol, is still intact, and is a symbol of the town
to the inhabitants.
The city managed to maintain its independence until 1875, when it was conquered by Egypt. During this period, Arthur Rimbaud lived in the city - his former house now a museum. Ten years later, it regained its independence, but this lasted only two years when the city was incorporated into the Ethiopian Empire of King Menelik II. Harar lost
some of its commercial importance with the creation of the Addis Ababa
- Djibouti Railway, initially intended to run via the city but diverted
north of the mountains between Harar and the Awash River to save money.
As a result of this, Dire Dawa was founded in 1902 as New Harar. AttractionsHarar is famed for its silversmiths, and there are beautiful necklaces, bracelets and chains to be found in the market. The basketry is also impressive. There are two colourful markets in Harar, the Christian and the Muslim, which are separated from one another. Harar also
was, and still is, well known for its handicrafts, including weaving basket-making
and bookbinding. 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. Medhane
Alem church, built at the end of the 19th century, is in the
town centre and contains excellent examples of traditional regional
art.
Hyena Men of Harar
A long standing
tradition of feeding porridge to hyenas one night a year developed in
the 1960s into a nightly feeding show for the benefit of tourists.
The Hyena man is considered as one of the tourist attraction of Harar, which in my opinion does no credit to the rest of the city. But for those who like to tremble and shudder, for a few dollars you can see men feeding the hyenas in the evening.
Harar is worthwile visiting. One of the many surprising faces of Ethiopia. look for tour package including the Harar |
Harar
was a fiercely religious city and was a forbidden city (closed to visitors),
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.
The
sixteenth century was the Golden Age of Harar. The local culture flourished,
and many poets lived and wrote there. It also became known for coffee,
weaving, basketry and bookbinding. The rulers of Harar also struck its
own currency, by AD 1789 the first coins were issued, and more were issued
into the nineteenth century.
The
Hyena Men of Harar collect offal and bones to feed to the wild hyenas
usually about 100 metres outside the Fallana Gate of the old city walls
of the town. Hyenas appear just after sunset to take food from their hands.
There is a charge for watching. 