The holy city Harar
Presentation
The city of Harar is a very ancient (1520) holy city. Harar was an important east-central commercial city famous for its historic buildings, great walls around the city, and a center of Islamic learning (the city has 99 mosques). It is considered the fourth holiest city of Islam after Mecca, Medina and Jerusalem.
Harar Labyrinth of colors
The city is well known for its superb handicrafts which include woven textiles, basketry, silverware and ornately bound books.
Harar has been a place of pilgrimage from all corners of the world for many years. The main attractions of Harar are the unique multi-colored Harari houses reminiscent of coastal Arab architecture and the alleys leading to them. Bowls, dishes, and basketwork are hung in a stylized way on the walls and all remain functional.
Its colorful market enlivens the old town while it is steeped in memories of Arthur Rimbaud who lived in Harar for 10 years.
When evening comes, the men lure the city's wild hyenas into a strange spectacle of bravely feeding these dangerous scavengers.
To learn more about Harar, read this blog post.
