Each step taken within the ancient walled city of Harar is a humbling experience. The Harari’s warm hospitality, their old-fashioned robust local market exchange, their taste for vivid and vibrant colors and high regard for intellectual philosophy will leave any visitor mesmerized. Strolling between centuries-old, ancient, architectural structures and narrow alleyways, visitors are quickly reminded that the city has refused to be defined only by its fascinating past.
UNESCO inscribed the fortified city of Harar as a World Heritage Site in 2006. Among others, UNESCO cites Harar’s contribution to the world in architecture and urban planning, cultural traditions related to Islamic and African roots as well as in interaction with its surrounding environment.
The present Harar was established in 1520 and served as a trading post between the Arabian Peninsula and Western and Southern parts of Ethiopia. Considered the fourth holiest city in the world after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem, Harar became the centre of Islamic learning.
The Hararis built 99 mosques inside the walled city, one each for the 99 names that God is referred to in the Quran. The city still has 82 mosques and 102 shrines, making it one of the largest concentrations of mosques in the world.
In the 16th century, local ruler Nur ibn-Mujahid built a four-meter high and 3,342m long defensive wall encircling the entire city. The wall, which is known as the Jugol in the native Adere language (offshoot of Ge’ez which belongs to the classical Semitic language) was built using Calcareous tuff and held with mud.
The volcanic limestone rock Calcareous tuff, being relatively light explains why the wall still stands unshaken by human or natural forces. Although the wall was further reinforced by bushes planted around it, almost none of the foliage exists today.
From 1520 to 1568, the walled city served as the capital of the Harari Kingdom’s independent emirate. In 1887, Harar was integrated into Ethiopia following the Harari’s defeat at the battle of Chelenko to the then Prince of Shewa Menelik, who would go on and become Ethiopia’s emperor two years later in 1889. Emperor Menelik II, established a new administration in Harar led by Emperor Haileselassie’s father Ras Mekonnen.
Initially, prior to integration, Harar had only five gates representing the five pillars of Islam. Through these gates, people entered and exited the city. Menelik’s new administration added two more gates and converted one of the existing mosques near the center of the city to erect a new Medhanie’Alem (Saviour of the World) church.
Black and white pictures at the old house of the French fugitive poet Arthur Rimbaud show that the church and the mosque stood a few metres apart from one another for some time. Supposedly, until the mosque was eventually demolished, Muslims and Christians prayed together side by side in the same compound to their respective deities.
The pictures taken by trader and writer Rimbaud are testament to the locals who say Harar has been a symbol of interfaith tolerance and peace. Rimbaud’s house has since been restored and is now serving as a museum. Rimbaud, who lived in Harar for 11 years beginning in 1880, documented the city through his photography and writings.
Given its historical importance and the contents it houses, it can be argued the museum is not preserved well. In a dispirited tone, our tour guide attests how little attention is given to safeguarding the historical artifacts and books inside the three-story building.
Observing the beautifully designed exterior of the wooden building, one can easily notice that some books are either missing or misplaced. Due to lack of proper in-house tourist guides and security checks, it is believed that, some historical artifacts have been stolen. Nonetheless, with its photographic documentation and collection of diverse religious and secular books, the museum continues to provide visitors and academic scholars a glimpse into this aspect of Ethiopia’s historic past.
In addition to the five original gates and the two gates built by Menelik II, there are few less than one-metre high entrances to the walled city. These small entrances believed to have been built for the hyenas to enter and clean the city of any dead animals. As odd as it might seem, the hyenas in Harar are people-friendly and roam the city freely with no record of ever having attacked the people or their domestic animals.
One of Harar’s present day attractions is the Hyena-man, a tourist attraction where a man feeds the hyenas in the evening. Kneeling right in front of their glowing eyes and feeding meat into the wide-open mouths of one of the most vicious wild animals is a unique experience to say the least.
On our first night in Harar, after having participated in the hyena-feeding a few hours earlier, we ran into one of these animals late in the night on the way back to our hotel. Riding in a three wheeled vehicle known as bajaj and converging in an extremely narrow alley with a Hyena was scary enough by itself.
It turns out that it was not a mutually shared feeling. Our local tour guide driving the bajaj, instead of trying to stay clear of the hyena’s path, to our amusement, tried to corner the hyena against the wall and attempt to hit him or scare him with the bajaj. We knew he meant no harm as it was more of an attempt on his end to scare the hyena.
As first timers to the city, we were shocked at what had happened. We just looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief. We knew regardless of how friendly the local hyena might be, they are still wild animals that could rip our flesh apart in no time if it felt threatened.
Luckily, for us, it happened so fast. I must say, though, we wondered if that was a normal thing for the locals or if our driver’s judgment had been greatly impaired by some of the alcoholic drinks from dinner.
The old city’s maze like twisting cobblestone alleyways, are extremely narrow and very similar to each other. They are full of energetic people congregating to exchange their goods or offer their services.
Small and similarly simple gates lead into large residential compounds; indicative of the Harari’s collective culture where many extended families prefer to live together within. Currently about 80,000 people live inside the walled city of Harar and many more outside of its walls.
Without a local guide, one is bound to become disoriented and lose track while engaging with the friendly people of Harar and their colourfully captivating unique architecture in directionless alleyways. The immaculate Harar guards timeless cultural treasures within its walled city. Its humbling ancient urban setting and intricately interwoven cultural heritage leave visitors in awe.
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